Elections in Scotland


has elections to several bodies: the Scottish Parliament, the United Kingdom Parliament, local councils and community councils. Before the United Kingdom left the European Union, Scotland elected members to the European Parliament.

Scottish Parliament

Scottish Parliamentary elections use the Additional Member System. Under this system, voters are given two votes: one for their constituency, which elects a single MSP by first-past-the-post; and one for their region, which elects seven MSPs by closed list. Five Scottish Parliamentary elections have been held since the reconvention of the Scottish Parliament in 1999. Elections are held every five years, on the first Thursday in May.

2016

Overall turnout - 55.6%

2011

Overall turnout- 50.4%

2007

Overall turnout - 51.8%

2003

Overall turnout- 49.4%

1999

Overall turnout- 59%

By-elections

2019

2017

2015

At the 2015 election the SNP won a majority of Scottish seats for the first time.

2010

* Philip Lardner, the Conservative candidate for North Ayrshire and Arran was disowned by the Conservative Party for comments he posted on his website, calling homosexuality 'abnormal'. It was too late for him to be replaced and he still read as the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party candidate on the ballot paper.

2005

2001

1997

1992

1987

1983

1979

October 1974

February 1974

1970

1966

1964

1959

1955

1951

1950

1945

1935

1931

1929

1924

1923

1922

1918

1910 December

1910 January

1906

1900

1895

1892

1886

1885

1880

1874

1868

1865

1859

1857

1852

1847

1841

1837

1835

1832

1831

1830

By-elections

Since 1995, local elections in Scotland have been generally held every four years for all the 32 unitary authorities created under the Local Government etc. Act 1994. Between 1975 and 1992, elections were held every two years for either district or regional council, which sat for four-year terms. Those arrangements were set up by the Local Government Act 1973.
As one consequence of the Gould Report, which was a response to the fiasco of the 2007 elections, the next council elections were scheduled for 2012

2017

The elections were held again using the STV system of proportional representation, and as with the 2012 Scottish local elections, they were delayed for one year to ensure they were not held on the same day as the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections. For full analysis see 2017 Scottish local elections.

2012

The election was contested for the second time under the STV system of proportional representation. It was the first time in 13 years that the elections had not been held on the same day as the Scottish Parliament elections. For full analysis see 2012 Scottish local elections.

Past elections

2008

In 1999, a Scotland-wide constituency replaced eight first-past-the-post constituencies used in the elections between 1979 and 1994. This returned eight MEPs under the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation system. Since then the number of MEPs returned by Scotland has been reduced twice, to seven in 2004, and then to six in 2009.
Following the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union on 31st January 2020, Scotland no longer elects representatives to the European Parliament.
Elected candidates are shown in bold. Brackets indicate the number of votes per seat won.

2019

2014

2009

2004

1999

Pre-1999 elections

For full details of results please referee to related articles;

1989

1984

1979

Referendums

To date seven referendums have been held in Scotland, covering a wide range of issues.