Scotland’s loneliest voter: remote hamlet has elector with their own ballot box

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By Krissy Storrar For The Scottish Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

It is an area known for its picturesque scenery and the seclusion of a rural idyll enjoyed by residents.

But come the General Election, one ­person in a remote part of Perthshire will make a unique trip to select their choice – as the only voter in their polling district.

And they will have their very own ballot box at the Amulree Hall polling station.

The revelation that the area is home to the country’s smallest polling district was made last week at a meeting of Perth and Kinross Council.

Amulree is home to smallest polling district

Councillors were asked to approve a review of parliamentary ­polling districts and polling places, which will create three new constituencies in Perth and Kinross.

The lone resident in the parliamentary polling district, termed PLM, is currently in the Perth and North Perthshire constituency.

At last week’s council meeting, Strathtay Tory councillor Ian James said: ‘Would we have to legally open Amulree Hall for just one voter? Could we not just chap on their door and hand over their voting form?’ 

Election manager Scott Walker said: ‘We do have to have a polling district for that voter. That’s the law.’

Strathearn SNP councillor Stewart Donaldson said: ‘It’s never been an area where we’ve got involved in significant campaigning.’

Amulree is a hamlet close to the River Braan, around six miles from Crieff. Its hall hosts fitness classes and meetings of the Scottish ­Women’s Institute.

But the solitary voter will not be completely alone as the polling station is shared with neighbouring district, PCT, which has 102 residents. 

The two districts cannot be merged as they are in different wards. Senior elections manager Christine Grant said: ‘Amulree Hall has two registers. One is PCT which has 102 electors.

‘The PLM with one elector, just with the boundaries it falls within, has to be a register of its own.’

An Electoral Commission Scotland spokesman said: ‘I have been aware of some rural [polling districts] with very small numbers… I can’t say whether the situation in Perth and Kinross is unique.’