Moray is expected to break all records for an election turnout when polling stations open for the independence referendum next week.
Election officials say that around 75,172 people in the region have registered to vote on September 18 – representing an increase of 4257 on the number of eligible voters registered for the European Parliament elections in May.
The boost in registrations is not explained entirely by this election opening up to 16 and 17-year-olds for the first time, with 2308 of the new registrations falling into the category.
In a statement published today a Moray Council spokesman said that the figures were provisional with definitive numbers available later this week. It added: “More than one in five electors in Moray have opted for a postal vote, with the first issue having been sent out to nearly 16,000 postal voters on August 27.”
An additional 2421 ballot papers were sent out to postal voters on Monday to arrive in the next few days.
In total 98 polling stations will be used on September 18 at 58 polling places throughout the region. The council will be held in Buckie’s Fisherman’s Hall as Elgin Town Hall is currently undergoing a programme of refurbishment.