Record number of foreign nationals registered to vote in Scotland, data shows

The number of foreign nationals registered to vote in Scottish elections has reached a new record, statistics show.

There were 195,400 foreign nationals registered to vote in Scottish parliamentary and local government elections in December 2024, an increase of 3.1% on the previous year and the highest number ever recorded, according to National Records of Scotland (NRS).

This represents 4.6% of the total electorate of 4,283,300 people registered to vote for Holyrood and local government elections, which increased by 1.0%.

For UK elections, there were 4,048,800 people registered to vote in Scotland, also up 1.0% on the previous year.

These figures are higher than any previous December, with an increase likely influenced by the general election last July, according to statisticians.

Resident EU and other foreign nationals, apart from Irish and Commonwealth citizens, do not have the right to vote in UK parliamentary elections, but can vote in Scottish parliamentary and local government elections.

Nearly one million people, 21.7%, are registered to vote by post in UK parliamentary elections, according to the People Registered To Vote report. This was a little lower than the 22.2% recorded for the previous December.

The report shows 21% of the total electorate are registered for a postal vote in Scottish parliamentary and local government elections, slightly down on the 21.7% recorded for the previous year.

Analysis shows postal voting is generally higher in more rural or remote constituencies, according to NRS.

Sandy Taylor, head of electoral statistics at NRS, said: “The number of people registered to vote in UK, Scottish parliamentary and local elections has remained broadly stable for another year.

“Beneath the headline figures we see the number of foreign nationals at record levels.

“These figures give an insight into how the Scottish electorate is changing over time to become more diverse.”

The corresponding electoral statistics for the whole of the UK is scheduled for publication by the Office for National Statistics later this year.