Issued: 5 May 2025
In my note to you on 28 April, I said I would issue guidance on access to polling stations. Access is restricted to: voters; the Returning Officer and his staff; candidates, their election agents and polling agents; police officers on duty; accredited observers; under 18s accompanying voters and companions of voters with disabilities.
Representatives of the media are not entitled to enter a polling station or take photos or film voters casting their votes. I would be most obliged if you could advise your photographers of this requirement.
With the consent of the candidates or members of the public, photographs can be taken within the grounds of the polling place (ie the venue) or beside a "polling station" sign - but NOT within the polling station.
For the counts, I will be at Inverness Leisure; Alison MacNeill will be at the Assembly Rooms, Wick and Sylvia Tarrant will be at Dingwall Leisure Centre to assist the media, count agents with any enquiries. We will be on duty from 9.30 pm until the results are announced, hopefully by 4 am.