General Election 2019: how to register to vote by post and proxy - and how to find your polling station in Edinburgh

The General Election is just weeks away with Scotland and the rest of the UK set to go to the polls on December 12

The SNP currently hold 35 of Scotland's 59 Westminster seats and will be looking to either consolidate or improve on this total at the 2019 election.

The Conservative Party, meanwhile, occupy 13 of Scotland's seats in the House of Commons, while Labour hold seven and the Liberal Democrats have a grip of four.

Edinburgh is represented by one Labour MP, one Liberal Democrat and three SNP politicians.

The 2019 General Election takes place on December 12 (Getty Images)

Making sure your vote counts is important, especially when you consider that one of the capital's seats (Edinburgh South West) was won by a slim margin of 1,097 votes.

Here's everything you need to know about exercising your right to vote ahead of December 12.

The quickest way to register is online. You will need you National Insurance number to hand.

If you're a British citizen living abroad, and you want to vote in England, Scotland or Wales, you will need your passport too.

Head to the Government's registration page. The process should only take about five minutes.

The deadline to register is midnight on 26 November.

Where do I vote?

Details of your nearest polling station will be on your ballot paper. Polling stations are often located a short distance from your registered address in a school or community building.

If you do not have your polling card to hand, you can enter your postcode into this website to bring up the details.

You should cast your vote in person at the polling station listed on your ballot paper unless you have pre-arranged a vote by proxy.

Do I need my polling card?

You do not have to take your poll card with you to vote, you can just give your name and address to the staff inside the polling station when you arrive.

How do I perform a postal vote?

Those who risk missing the polling station opening hours because of work or other engagements can perform a postal vote.

Anyone can vote by this method, but must make an application at gov.uk by 5pm on November 26.

Can someone vote on my behalf?

Yes.

If you are unable to vote in person you can get someone to vote for you, and tell them who to vote for. This is called a proxy vote.

Anyone can perform this duty on your behalf, but they must be registered to vote for the same election.

A proxy vote can be applied for at this website. Not everyone can vote by proxy and it is vital that the correct form is used.

Once completed, applicants are required to send their form to their local electoral registration office.