We know from speaking to members of the Gypsy/Traveller community that for many, voting can be difficult to take part in. Even though the Gypsy/Traveller community have been a part of the fabric of Scotland for centuries, they still face a lot of racism and discrimination because of their ethnicity. This often means that members of the community can’t access services but also makes getting the opportunity to be part of decisions that affect them really difficult . It’s really important to raise awareness about how members of the community can be part of political debate but also to generate some ideas on how society can become more flexible in response to the diversity of all people living in Scotland. Getting information about who to vote for and what they can do for your community isn’t easy especially if you are on the road and don’t have a fixed address at certain times of the year. But there are some solutions…

Although, written with people who are homeless in mind, the ‘Declaration of local connection’ is a form you can fill in to vote should you have no fixed address. You can also request easy read versions of who to vote for and if you have trouble with reading or writing you are allowed to bring someone with you to the polling station who is over 18 to help make sure you are voting for the party or person you want. Click here to see the ‘Declaration of local connection’ form. 

If you would like to find out more about news in the Gypsy/Traveller community, along with useful contacts from members of the community, you can find this by going to http://travellerstimes.org.uk/.

This blog is a part of our series, in our Voting Champions project, focusing on issues around voting in different communities. Got  a community you would like to feature? Let us know by writing below or emailing alice@otbds.org or by calling 0141 419 0451.