Here are 17 key battles that could decide the Holyrood election
As Scots head to the polls for the 2021 Holyrood election, we have highlighted some of the key battles to look out for when the results are announced on Friday and Saturday.
Updated: May 6, 2021, 6:22 pm
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As Scots head to the polls for the 2021 Holyrood election, we have highlighted some of the key battles to look out for when the results are announced on Friday and Saturday.
In the Scottish election, 65 is the magic number for an overall majority at Holyrood.
The only question is whether they can win big enough to secure an overall majority.
One caveat to this is turnout.
Scottish elections have a record of poor turnout. With us emerging from a pandemic and poor weather on the forecast, a lot of this projection could change if voters just don’t turn up.
How do the SNP think they ve done as polls closed?
However, the number of confirmed voters registered for Holyrood 2021 is 4,280,785 - a record high for Scottish Parliamentary elections.
It s close to the number who registered for the independence referendum in 2014 which suggests voters are motivated.
•Swing to lose: 0.16%
The road to an SNP majority runs straight through seats like Dumbarton, as do Scottish Labour’s hope of forming the main opposition in Holyrood.
Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour Health spokesperson, is fighting to retain the seat of Dumbarton. Picture: John Devlin
Jackie Baillie has held the seat at every single Scottish Parliament election since 1999. But after returning with a comfortable majority of more than 6,500 in 2003, Ms Baillie’s grip on Dumbarton has been slipping ever since.
The rising tide of SNP support in the constituency vote threatens to wash away what remains of her majority. The Labour Party veteran came ahead of her 2016 SNP challenger by just 109 votes, making the seat the most marginal in Scotland.