There are certain qualification criteria you must meet if you want to stand for election to a council in Scotland. You must be:

• at least 18 years old on the day of your nomination, and
• either a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen, or a qualifying foreign national, and
• meet at least one of the following four qualifications:
  
  a. you are registered as a local government elector for the local authority area in which you wish to stand on the day of your nomination.
  
  b. you have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the local authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination.
  
  c. your main or only place of work during the 12 months prior to the day of your nomination has been in the local authority area.
  
  d. you have lived in the local authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination.

If you meet the above criteria, then you should be able to stand, unless you meet any of the disqualification criteria. The Electoral Commission’s ‘Can you stand for election?’ guidance contains all the information you need on the criteria for being disqualified from standing for council elections.

Please note, you are allowed to stand for election to a council if you are an employee of that council. However, should you be elected, you must resign from your employment the next working day or you will be disqualified as a councillor.

If you are in any doubt about your eligibility to stand, contact the returning officer or the elections team in your council for advice.

You can find out which council you live in by entering your postcode in Boundary Scotland’s website https://www.boundaries.scot/