TODAY – Thursday 7 May – the people of Scotland will decide which MSPs will represent them in the Scottish Parliament, and which party will form a new Scottish Government.
But how does the voting system work in Scotland?
Everyone gets two votes
73 constituency MSPs are chosen by First Past the Post
56 regional MSPs, representing Scotland’s eight regions, are chosen by the share of the regional vote (Additional Member System)
Each constituency has one MSP and seven MSPs are chosen to represent each region
It’s REALLY important that you use your vote, so that our elected politicians best reflect the views of the people of Scotland.
Watch this video to find out how the system works in more detail:
Polls will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday May 7.
You can find your nearest polling place on the city council website.
The candidates for each constituency at that deadline are listed below:
Edinburgh Central:
- BONNIE PRINCE, Bob – Independent
- CREIGHTON, Chris – Independent
- DALGLEISH, James William – Scottish Labour Party
- DUNDAS, Charles – Scottish Liberal Democrats
- LAIRD, Tam – Scottish Libertarian Party
- MOWAT, Jo – Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- MURRAY, Craig John – Alliance to Liberate Scotland
- NEILL, Gary – Reform UK
- POWNALL, Robert Neil – Independent
- ROBERTSON, Angus – Scottish National Party (SNP)
- SLATER, Lorna – Scottish Green Party
Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith:
- LEES, David – Reform UK
- MACPHERSON, Ben – Scottish National Party (SNP)
- NEVENS, Kate – Scottish Green Party
- OWEN, Liss – Scottish Liberal Democrats
- THOMAS, Oliver Philip – Scottish Labour Party
- YOUNG, Haris – Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Edinburgh North Western:
- AHMED, Irshad – Scottish Labour Party
- CAIRNS, Rachel – Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- COLE-HAMILTON, Alex – Scottish Liberal Democrats
- HENRY, David – Scottish Workers Party of Britain
- JARDINE, Lyn Ann – Scottish National Party (SNP)
- THOMSON, Davie – Reform UK
Edinburgh Northern:
- COWDY, Christopher – Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- DIJKSTRA-DOWNIE, Sanne – Scottish Liberal Democrats
- HYSLOP, Euan – Scottish National Party (SNP)
- KINROSS-O’NEILL, Kayleigh Ferguson – Scottish Green Party
- MCLAUGHLIN, Andrew – Reform UK
- MERON, Abu – Scottish Workers Party of Britain
- RYAN-SAHA, Eleanor – Scottish Labour Party
Edinburgh South Western:
- KUMAR, Simita – Scottish National Party (SNP)
- MUNRO, Catriona – Scottish Labour Party
- ROSE, Cameron – Reform UK
- WEBBER, Sue – Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- WILLIAMSON, Andy – Scottish Liberal Democrats
Edinburgh Southern:
- ALLISTON PICKARD, Jane Patricia – Scottish Liberal Democrats
- BROCK, Deidre Leanne – Scottish National Party (SNP)
- JOHNSON, Daniel Guy – Scottish Labour Party
- MUNRO, Marie-Clair – Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- TURNER, Charles – Reform UK
- WILKINSON, Marc – Edinburgh & East Lothian People
Edinburgh and Lothians East (Region):
ADVANCE UK
- MOFFAT, Sean
ALLIANCE TO LIBERATE SCOTLAND
- MURRAY, Craig John
- SMITH, Joe
- KERR, Hugh
- DALY, James
- CARO, Anna
ANIMAL WELFARE PARTY
- SCOTT, Mark
- WILLISCROFT-FERRIS, Lee Christopher
- MOIR, Vivienne Margaret
- SMITH, Jane Catherine
COMMUNIST PARTY OF BRITAIN
- CULLEN, Chris
EDINBURGH & EAST LOTHIAN PEOPLE
- WILKINSON, Marc
- SISSON, David Henry Alan
EQUALITY PARTY
- RENTON, David
- MACKINTOSH, Laura
- DYKES-JOHNSON, Caitlin
INDEPENDENCE FOR SCOTLAND PARTY
- HANNAH, John
INDEPENDENT GREEN VOICE
- BURNS, Megan
REFORM UK
- ROSS, Angela
- CHIDAMBARAM, Pal
- DOUGLAS, Nigel
- LEES, David
- TURNER, Charles
- MCLAUGHLIN, Andrew
- NEILL, Gary
- THOMSON, David
- ROSE, Cameron
SCOTTISH CONSERVATIVE AND UNIONIST PARTY
- BRIGGS, Miles
- WEBBER, Sue
- MUNRO, Marie-Clair
- COWDY, Christopher
- MOWAT, Jo
- JONES, Tim
- CAIRNS, Rachel
- YOUNG, Haris
SCOTTISH FAMILY PARTY
- HOLDEN, Philip
- DEEPNARAIN, Niel
- LUCAS, Mairi
- MACEACHEN, Helen
- COX, Peter James
SCOTTISH GREEN PARTY
- SLATER, Lorna Jane
- NEVENS, Kate
- MANIVANNAN, Q
- KINROSS-O’NEILL, Kayleigh Ferguson
- BOOTH, Chas
- AL-KHATEB, Adam
- PHILLIPS, Jo
- WADHWA, Mridul Machindra
- HEAP, Dan
- KVASSNES, Astri JS
- STANIFORTH, Alex
- CEBULSKI, Mariusz Artur
SCOTTISH LABOUR PARTY
- AHMED, Irshad
- SANGSTER, Katherine
- JOHNSON, Daniel
- MUNRO, Catriona
- WHITFIELD, Martin
- STOTT, Caitlin
- DALGLEISH, James
- RYAN-SAHA, Eleanor
- THOMAS, Oliver
SCOTTISH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
- DIJKSTRA-DOWNIE, Sanne Carlien
- ALLISTON PICKARD, Jane Particia
- DUNDAS, Charles Christopher
- YOUNIE, Lewis James
- BUTLER, Jenny Claire Marr
- OWEN, Alissa Jayne
- GRANT, Alan
SCOTTISH LIBERTARIAN PARTY
- LAIRD, Tam
- SMITH, Gary Finlayson
SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY (SNP)
- SHEPPARD, Tommy
- BROCK, Deidre
- KUMAR, Simita
- ROBERTSON, Angus
- MCLENNAN, Paul Stewart
- BEATTIE, Colin
- JARDINE, Lyn
SCOTTISH SOCIALIST PARTY
- FOX, Colin
- REID, Natalie
- MAXWELL, Ally
SCOTTISH WORKERS PARTY OF BRITAIN
- HENRY, David
- MERON, Abu
INDEPENDENT
- BONNIE PRINCE, Bob
- BALFOUR, Jeremy Ross
- DAVIES, Morgwn Carter
- REGAN, Ash
The count will take place on Friday May 8.
