3.3 Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland

In Scottish and Welsh local elections and devolved parliament elections (Holyrood and Senedd):

• You can vote from age 16
• EU and non-EU foreign nationals living in Scotland or Wales can vote if they have leave to remain
  These nations have broader voting rights for younger people and non-UK nationals in their local and devolved elections.

In Northern Ireland

• You must be 18 or over to vote in all elections in Northern Ireland. 
• You can vote if you are a British, Irish, qualifying Commonwealth or EU citizen resident in Northern Ireland

**Important Things to Note **

• You must be registered to vote to take part in any election. In England, you can register from age 16, even if you can’t vote until 18. In Scotland and Wales you can register to vote from 14. A later module of this course will focus on how to register to vote.
• Voting rules are set by the UK, Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh governments – so what’s true in one nation may not apply in another.