Thousands join rush to get a vote

THOUSANDS of new voters have been added to the electoral register in Edinburgh and Lothians in recent weeks.

More than 5,000 people who were not previously on the register have added their names in the past six weeks.

There has also been a massive surge in the number of people applying for postal votes for the 6 May election.

Experts today said the figures suggested an unexpected interest in the election. Lothian's electoral registration office recorded a net increase of 5,200 names on the register in the run-up to 20 April, the deadline for taking part in the general election.

Brian Brown, depute electoral registration officer, said: "For that number to register there must be something that has caught their imagination."

Mr Brown also revealed a dramatic rise in the number of postal vote applications in Edinburgh and the Lothians – more than 80 per cent up since the last general election. More than 91,000 voters will have a postal vote for this election, compared with 50,655 in 2005.