Margaret Crawford has made sure she is registered to vote on 3 May

A 100-year-old woman who was eligible to vote in the 1929 General Election has urged people in Scotland to register for the 3 May poll.

Margaret Crawford’s message from her Cameron Park Nursing Home in Edinburgh was clear: “Don’t waste your vote.”

The centenarian took part in the first UK election in which women aged 21 to 30 were able to vote.

UK, Commonwealth or EU citizens, aged 18 and over, are entitled to vote in May if they register by 18 April.

In 1918, the suffragette movement achieved voting rights for women over the age of 30 and in 1928 women aged 21 to 30 were given the opportunity to vote.

Take for granted

Ms Crawford’s call for people to register for the Scottish Parliament and local authority elections is part of the politically neutral Vote Scotland campaign spearheaded by the Electoral Commission and Scottish Executive.

The Vote Scotland campaign was launched in March

Andy O’Neill, head of the Electoral Commission’s Scotland Office, said: “It’s easy to take the right to vote for granted.

“It is important to remember that at one time everyone did not have this right.

“This makes it all the more important that people make sure that they are on the register.”

People who are unsure whether they are registered – or want to change their details – are advised to contact their local electoral registration office.

They can also apply to vote by post or proxy. Information is available from the Vote Scotland website at www.votescotland.com.