VOTERS in Inverclyde have registered in large numbers to take part in next week’s huge and historic independence referendum.

A total of 62,473 people signed up to vote in the poll on Thursday 18 September.

Officials have also revealed that just over 14,000 people applied for a postal vote.

A high percentage of them — over 70 per cent — have already returned their verdict.

Inverclyde’s Counting Officer John Mundell said: “For those people who have yet to send us their postal vote — and indeed people who will be voting in person — I would like to remind them to fill in their ballot papers correctly to ensure their vote will count.

“There are instructions on how to vote in every postal voting pack — and the instructions will be at every polling station.

“The safest and surest way is to only put an ‘X’ in the box beside the option you want to choose.

“Voters should also complete their postal voting statement carefully — checking they have put down the correct date of birth and signature.

“If a mistake is made there is a very real chance their ballot paper will not be counted.” Postal votes must be returned by 10pm on Thursday 18 September 2014.

They can also be handed in to Inverclyde Council’s Customer Service Centre during business hours on any day up to and including Thursday 18 September or at any polling station on polling day itself.

Postal votes that arrive after 10pm on September 18 will not be counted.

Voters can obtain more information about the referendum and how to vote at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk A record number of people have registered to vote across the country.

Over 4.2 million people have registered, 97 per cent of the adult population.