The front and back of the envelope I received with my Ayr Constituency and South Scotland Region poll card today.
Photo ID is NOT required for Scottish parliamentary or local council elections.
Why does this matter?
There is official UK research and analysis, including from the Electoral Commission in May 2023, showing that photo ID requirements create disproportionate barriers for certain disadvantaged groups, leading to reduced voting participation among them. This includes lower rates of acceptable photo ID ownership, lower awareness of the rules, higher rates of being turned away at polling stations, and self-reported deterrence from voting.
Why does this matter more for the SNP?
Opinion polls repeatedly show a higher percentage of those unemployed, in insecure and in ‘routine’ (unskilled labouring) roles vote SNP than vote for the other parties. For example in the most recent YouGov poll on 18th February 2026, 33% of this group would vote SNP but only 8% would vote Conservative or Labour (1).
https://scottishelections.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/SES_SCOOP_Results_Feb26.xls
The Ipsos poll on 25 February 2026, using the older Social grades AB to DE, had 48% of group DE [unskilled, temporary, unemployed] supporting the SNP , 8% for the Cons and only 7% for Labour.
This is a serious error by, at least, South Ayrshire Council. Let me know if your constituency has anything similar.
Talking-up Scotland 
a serious error or a deliberate attempt to confuse voters, given it is not a uk parliamentary general election how will the council rectify their error?
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hmmm
utter incompetence or a deliberate attempt to reduce turn-out in SNP heavy groups???
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This a UK parliamentary delivery envelope. Mine arrived today stating that it was for a “Scottish Parliamentary Election – 7 May 2026”.
either someone is sending out the wrong envelopes, which I’m guessing would be illegal, or someone is telling porkies.
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This is such a serious error that the letter to voters should be re-issued with additional clarification and assurance. Not enough to allow voting without asking for ID at the polling station on the day.
From the Electoral Commission website: ‘Voters in Scotland will not need to show photo ID at Scottish Parliament elections or at council elections.’
Source – https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/voter-id
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