Information for voters for the Scottish Parliamentary Election 2026
Find information for voters for the Scottish Parliamentary Election 2026
Information on accessibility measures in place to support voters at this election, including spoken ballot papers, is available here
Register to Vote - Important Dates
- The deadline to register to vote (opens new window) in the Scottish Parliament Election is midnight on Monday 20 April.
- The deadline to apply for a postal vote (opens new window) is 5pm on Tuesday 21 April
- The deadline to apply for a proxy vote (opens new window) is 5pm on Tuesday 28 April
What is this election for?
It is to elect Members of the Scottish Parliament. The laws and decisions the Scottish Parliament will make will affect you and your community. You are voting for your representatives who will work on your behalf in the Scottish Parliament. You will be represented by eight Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs): one for your constituency (or local area) and seven for the larger electoral region in which you live. You will get two ballot papers, one for the constituency contest and one for the region content.
FAQs
Election Information
New constituencies and regions are in place for this election. The boundaries for constituencies and regions for the Scottish Parliament have been reviewed to ensure that each constituency has roughly the same number of electors. You can see maps of the constituency and region here.
You can vote in this election if you are registered to vote in Scotland, will be 16 years old or over on Thursday 7 May 2026 and are:
- a UK or Irish citizen
- a qualifying Commonwealth citizen
- a qualifying foreign national who has permission to enter or stay in the UK or who does not need such permission, including EU citizen
Candidates for the Almond Valley Constituency are: • Angela Constance - Scottish National Party (SNP) • Damian Doran-Timson - Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party • Malcolm Kevin Jones - Reform UK • Caron Lindsay - Scottish Liberal Democrats • Jordan Stokoe - Scottish Labour Party Candidates for the Bathgate Constituency are: • Gus Ferguson - British Unionist Party • Stephen John Harte - Scottish Liberal Democrats • Peter Heggie - Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party • David McLennan - Reform UK • Pauline Stafford - Scottish National Party (SNP) • Jenny Young - Scottish Labour Party Details on candidates for the Central Scotland and Lothians West regional contest Can be found on the North Lanarkshire Council Website- https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-council/elections-and-voting/scottish-parliament-election-thursday-7-may-2026
The election is on Thursday 7 May 2026. Polling places will be open from 7am to 10pm
The poll will open at 7am on Thursday 7 May 2026 and will stay open until 10pm.
The count for this poll takes place the day following the election on Friday 8 May. Results for the Almond Valley Constituency, Bathgate Constituency will be made available via the West Lothian Council website as soon as possible following the Declarations.
Register to Vote
You can register online at Register to Vote (opens new window) or by contacting the Electoral Registration Officer (tel: 0131 344 2500; enquiries@lothian-vjb.gov.uk)
Applications to register must be received by the Electoral Registration Officer by midnight on Monday 20 April 2026.
Application forms for postal votes votes are available online at Electoral Registration Office (opens new window) or from the Electoral Registration Officer (tel: 0131 344 2500; enquiries@lothian-vjb.gov.uk). The deadline for postal vote applications is 5pm Monday 21 April. Please note that you cannot apply online for a postal vote for this by-election. To apply for a postal vote for the election, download and complete the application form from the Electoral Registration Officer. Completed application forms should be sent back to them at 17A South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 9FL. A proxy vote allows a nominated person to cast your vote on your behalf either in person or by post in specified circumstances.
A proxy vote allows a nominated person to cast your vote on your behalf either in person or by post in specified circumstances.
Application forms for proxy votes votes are available online at Electoral Registration Office (opens new window) or from the Electoral Registration Officer (tel: 0131 344 2500; enquiries@lothian-vjb.gov.uk).The deadline for proxy vote applications was 5pm Monday 21 April.
The rules about who can be a proxy are different depending on the type of election you want to vote in:
For the Scottish Parliament a proxy can vote for close relatives and up to two other people at an election. Close relatives are the spouse, civil partner, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, child or grandchild of the applicant.
Applications for new proxy votes (except for emergencies) must be made by 5pm on 28 April.
Applications for emergency proxy votes can be made until 5pm on polling day (7 May). The grounds for issuing an emergency proxy vote are limited.
When applying for a new proxy vote, you must return your application form by 5pm, 6 working days before the poll.
When changing or cancelling an existing postal, proxy or postal proxy vote, you must return your application form by 5pm, 11 working days before the poll.
Your proxy will be sent a proxy poll card, telling them where and when to vote on your behalf. You must let your proxy know how you want them to vote on your behalf, for example, which candidate, party or outcome. Your proxy must go to your polling station to vote on your behalf. If your proxy cannot get to the polling station, they can apply to vote on your behalf by post.
If you are able to go to the polling station on polling day, you can vote in person as long as your proxy has not already done so or has not applied to vote on your behalf by post.
Contact the Electoral Registration Officer (tel: 0131 344 2500; enquiries@lothian-vjb.gov.uk). Applications for an emergency proxy (for reasons of illness/service/employment) can be made up until 5pm on 7 May 2026 (Polling Day).
Voting on the day
Your polling card will tell you where your polling place is. With new constituencies in place for this Election, a small number of voters might find that their designated polling station has changed from previous Scottish Parliament Elections. Therefore, it is important that you check the location stated on your polling card.
When you arrive at your designated polling station, you will receive two ballot papers - a constituency ballot paper and a regional ballot paper.
You must indicate your preferred choice once on each paper by marking a cross (X) in the box next to your choice.
Once you have completed your ballot papers, fold your ballot papers and put them into the appropriate ballot box - there will be one ballot box for the constituency vote and another for the regional vote.
Replacement ballot papers are available from polling station staff if you make a mistake.
Single-use pencils will be provided. You can bring your own pen or pencil if you want.
Staff in the polling places will be available to provide any support you may need. Arrangements will also be in place in polling stations to assist those with accessibility requirements.
Photos must not be taken inside the polling station.
Polling cards were sent out around 18 March 2026 but you don't need your polling card to be able to vote. You do need to be registered to vote. To check if you are registered contact the Electoral Registration Office (ERO) (tel: 0131 344 2500; enquiries@lothian-vjb.gov.uk). They will also be able to tell you your polling place.
No. You do not need Voter ID to vote at this election
Postal Voting
The first issue of postal votes will take place around 16 April 2026. Complete and return it without delay! Guidance on how to complete the Postal Ballot Papers will be included with the documents sent to postal voters. If you applied later you should receive your postal vote soon after 27 April 2026. The Returning Officer cannot guarantee that a postal ballot pack will be delivered by a certain date. If you will be away when postal ballot papers are issued, you may want to consider appointing a proxy instead. The deadline for receipt of a new application to appoint a proxy is 28 April 2026 at 5.00 pm.
To cancel your postal vote you must apply in writing to the Electoral Registration Office. You must do this before 21 April 2026 at 5.00 pm.
The Returning Officer can issue a replacement for a lost or undelivered postal vote. You may be asked to collect their replacement postal vote from the Civic Centre if it is very close to polling day. You can ask someone to collect it on your behalf if you tell us who it is, Contact the election office at elections@westlothian.gov.uk (opens new window)
Read the instructions in your pack and fill in your postal vote as directed. Follow the instructions on the ballot paper. Fold and place only your ballot papers into envelope A. Follow the instructions on the coloured strip. Place Envelope A with the Postal Voting Statement into Envelope B. Make sure that the return address (not your own address) is visible through the window on Envelope B. Now you can post your vote. For your postal vote to count it must be received by 10pm on Thursday 7 May 2026. Here is a guide to completing your postal vote. (PDF, 192 KB)(opens new window)
No, so long as you make sure you return the completed (with your signature and date of birth) postal vote statement and the ballot paper envelope with the ballot paper sealed inside.
You need to have put your date of birth and signature on the postal vote statement. It doesn't matter if you have scored bits out or made corrections. On your ballot papers, so long as your intention is clear, your vote will count. If you prefer you can apply for a replacement postal ballot pack, you need to apply by 5pm on 7 May 2026 - Polling Day.
There is a legislative requirement for postal voters to supply their signature and date of birth when they apply for a postal vote and when they return a postal vote. This is to improve the security of postal voting and the Returning Officer will check that the signatures and dates of birth match. You must supply your signature and date of birth on your postal vote statement or your postal vote will not count.
Yes. Your postal vote statement is separated from the ballot paper envelope at the start of the opening process. This means that there is no way of knowing the identity of a voter when the envelope containing the ballot paper is opened.
If you still have your Return Envelope B, open the Ballot Paper Envelope A, remove the Postal Vote Statement and place it in Return Envelope B. Reseal Ballot Paper Envelope A and place inside Return Envelope B. Seal and return Envelope B.
You can fold the ballot papers as many times as you need to.
You can hand your completed postal vote into the Civic Centre, or too any polling place in your constituency on polling day.
