The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations is the membership organisation for Scotland's charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises. Charity registered in Scotland SC003558. Registered office Mansfield Traquair Centre, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh EH3 6BB.
What charities need to know in the run-up to elections
The Scottish Parliament makes important decisions that directly impact voluntary organisations, as well as the communities and people they support. The next Scottish Parliament election is expected to take place in May 2026. Ahead of election day, we’ll be keeping this page updated with useful guidance for voluntary organisations to engage in the political process, as well as updates on the work we’re doing to champion the sector.
What can and can’t charities do in the run-up to an election?
There are rules that apply around charities doing political campaigning that apply at any time. Political campaigning can be allowed but must be related to your charitable purposes and in the interest of your organisation, as well as being allowed by your own governing documents.
In an election year, it’s particularly important to be conscious of this. The sector’s voice can and should be heard when it comes to influencing government policy, so make sure you’re doing it legitimately.
Here’s what OSCR guidance on campaigning and political issues says:
"Under Scottish charity law, your charity can campaign if:
- it is advancing your charitable purposes
- your governing document does not prevent the activity
- you are not advancing a political party, and
- you can show you are acting in the charity’s interests
Scottish charity law says that an organisation set up to be a political party or to advance a political party cannot be a charity.
Our position is that charities can campaign on political issues to advance their charitable purposes, including during election periods, as long as the requirements of charity law and, where necessary, electoral law are met.
Political campaigning – for example taking a position for or against a change in policy or legislation – is a legitimate way for some charities to achieve what they were set up for, their charitable purposes."
Read more in the OSCR guidance on campaigning and political issues and their accompanying note on Updated guidance for Scottish charities on campaigning about political issues
The Electoral Commission has produced a Non-party campaigner Code of Practice. This gives guidance on a range of activities and approaches.
The Charity Commission and Electoral Commission have also shared advice for charities engaging in public debate.
What happens to new or revised law and regulations in this period?
Governments, their agencies, public bodies, Ministers and civil servants alike are subject to regulations during a pre-election “period of sensitivity”.
In practice, this means that care should be taken when making announcements or taking decisions that might affect the outcome of an election. Policy decisions that the new administration might wish to take a different view on following an election are also expected to be postponed.
Guidance will be published ahead of the next Scottish Parliament election in due course by the Scottish Government. If you’re interested in seeing what this might look like ahead of the 2026 election, you can read the guidance that was issued ahead of the last election in 2021.
Staff and trustees
It’s important to share any relevant information around campaigning with both staff and trustees, to make sure they understand their responsibilities when representing your organisation, and any restraints.
If you have a social media policy for staff or trustees, this might be a good time to remind people of it.
CharityComms have guidance for doing Comms in an election period (it's not Scotland specific, but will still be useful to organisations here).
Manifesto development
In advance of the election, political parties will be doing policy development for their manifestos – with some already underway. Voluntary organisations will have the opportunity to tell them what they would like to see prioritised by them.
SCVO has contacted all political parties for the details of how to engage in their manifesto development processes, and will share them as we get them.
Scottish Labour's Scottish Policy Forum is now seeking views. Submissions should be sent to scottishpolicyforum@labour.org.uk by Saturday 25 January 2025. More information is available here.
Supporting your communities to take part in the general election
In your work with communities, particularly those who may face barriers to inclusion, you may wish to support people to take part in the elections. Here are some helpful links:
Get involved
Collaborate with us and our members to develop and promote voluntary sector policy perspectives for Scotland