Voting in Scotland s strangest election since devolution has ended, with the results expected in the next few days.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the counting of votes for the 2021 Holyrood election will take place over a number of days, with all results expected to be declared by Saturday evening.
Counting usually begins immediately after the polls close at 10pm and continues overnight, with results declared in the early hours.
But the need for social distancing among count staff has meant votes will be tallied from Friday morning.
Nicola Sturgeon, pictured at her Glasgow Southside vote yesterday, has said another pro-independence majority in the Scottish Parliament, including the Greens and Alba Party seats, should be enough to let Scots vote again on whether they want to leave the UK
Count begins in Scotland with IndyRef2 on a knife edge
Holyrood election result will shape Scotland s potential journey towards second independence referendum sought by SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon
8 May 2021 • 1:36am
Counting has started in the Scottish Parliament election, with more than half of the country s constituencies expected to declare on Friday.
As of 1am on Saturday May 8, 48 council areas have been declared, with the SNP maintaining a strong majority of 39 seats, having gained two.
The Lib Dems follow with four and the Tories with three. Labour currently have two seats and have lost East Lothian to the SNP.
The result will shape Scotland s journey towards a potential second independence referendum, dubbed IndyRef2.
“So really it’s going to come down to the wire in some seats I suspect.” The Glasgow Pollok constituency is expected to declare later on Friday. Meanwhile, Jason Allardyce, editor of the Sunday Times Scotland, wrote on Twitter today: Turnout for #Holyrood2021 seems to be up - possibly even reaching a record level. The final total of voters registered for the Scottish Parliament election has been confirmed at 4,280,785 – the highest electorate ever for a Scottish Parliament election. Candidates in the closely-contested Holyrood seat of Edinburgh Southern have welcomed the high turnout of postal votes as counting continues. The seat was won by Scottish Labour’s Daniel Johnson at the 2016 election, defeating then SNP incumbent Jim Eadie by a majority of 1,123 votes.
Voting in Scotland’s strangest election since devolution has ended, with the results expected in the next few days.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the counting of votes for the 2021 Holyrood election will take place over a number of days, with all results expected to be declared by Saturday evening.
Counting usually begins immediately after the polls close at 10pm and continues overnight, with results declared in the early hours.
But the need for social distancing among count staff has meant votes will be tallied from Friday morning.
A ballot box breaks open as it arrives at the P&J Live/TECA in Aberdeen (Andrew Milligan/PA)