Elections in Scotland
Scotland has elections to several bodies: the Scottish Parliament, the United Kingdom Parliament, the European Parliament, local councils and community councils.
Scottish Parliament
General elections
Only political parties with more than 1% of the total vote are shown.
Elections are held every four year. The electoral system used is explained here.
Most recent election
|- | || Total || 2,016,978 || 100 || +2.5 || 73 || || 2,042,089 || 100 || || 56 || || 129 || || 100.0 |}
Overall turnout - 51.8%
Previous election
|- | || Total || 1,891,335 || 100.0 || || 73 || || 1,915,856 || 100.0 || || 56 || || 129 || || 100.0 |}
Past elections
Scottish Parliament election, 1999
By-elections
Moray by-election, 2006 SNP hold
Cathcart by-election, 2005 Lab hold
Banff and Buchan by-election, 2001 SNP hold
Strathkelvin and Bearsden by-election, 2001 Lab hold
Glasgow Anniesland by-election, 2000 Lab hold
Ayr by-election, 2000 Con gain from Lab
UK Parliament
General elections
Only parties with more than 1% of the total vote are shown.
By-elections
2000s
Glenrothes by-election, 2008, Lab hold
Glasgow East by-election, 2008, SNP gain from Lab
Dunfermline and West Fife by-election, 2006, Lib Dem gain from Lab
Livingston by-election, 2005, Lab hold
Falkirk West by-election, 2000, Lab hold
Glasgow Anniesland by-election, 2000, Lab hold
1990s
Hamilton South by-election, 1999, Lab hold
Paisley South by-election, 1997, Lab hold
Perth and Kinross by-election, 1995, SNP gain from Con
Monklands East by-election, 1994, Lab hold
Kincardine and Deeside by-election, 1991, Lib Dem gain from Con
Paisley South by-election, 1990, Lab hold
Paisley North by-election, 1990, Lab hold
1980s
Glasgow Central by-election, 1989, Lab hold
Glasgow Govan by-election, 1988, SNP gain from Lab
Glasgow Queens Park by-election, 1982, Lab hold
Coatbridge and Airdrie by-election, 1982, Lab hold
Glasgow Hillhead by-election, 1982, SDP gain from Con
Glasgow Central by-election, 1980, Lab hold
1970s
Berwick and East Lothian by-election, 1978, Lab hold
Hamilton by-election, 1978, Lab hold
Glasgow Garscadden by-election, 1978, Lab hold
Glasgow Govan by-election, 1973, SNP gain from Lab
Edinburgh North by-election, 1973, Con hold
Dundee East by-election, 1973, Lab hold
Stirling and Falkirk by-election, 1971, Lab hold
South Ayrshire by-election, 1970, Lab hold
1960s
Glasgow Gorbals by-election, 1969, Lab hold
Hamilton by-election, 1967, SNP gain from Lab
Glasgow Pollok by-election, 1967, Con gain from Lab
Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles by-election, 1965, Lib gain from Con
Rutherglen by-election, 1964, Lab gain from Unionist
Dumfriesshire by-election, 1963, Unionist hold
Dundee West by-election, 1963, Lab hold
Kinross and West Perthshire by-election, 1963, Unionist hold
Glasgow Woodside by-election, 1962, Lab gain from Unionist
West Lothian by-election, 1962, Lab hold
Glasgow Bridgeton by-election, 1961, Lab hold
East Fife by-election, 1961, Unionist hold
Paisley by-election, 1961, Lab hold
Edinburgh North by-election, 1960, Unionist hold
1950s
Galloway by-election, 1959, Unionist hold
East Aberdeenshire by-election, 1958, Unionist hold
Argyll by-election, 1958, Unionist hold
Glasgow Kelvingrove by-election, 1958, Lab gain from Unionist
Edinburgh South by-election, 1957, Unionist hold
Greenock by-election, 1955, Lab hold
Edinburgh North by-election, 1955, Unionist hold
Inverness by-election, 1955, Unionist hold
Motherwell by-election, 1954, Lab hold
Edinburgh East by-election, 1954, Lab hold
Dundee East by-election, 1952, Lab hold
Glasgow Scotstoun by-election, 1950, Unionist hold
Dunbartonshire West by-election, 1950, Lab hold
1940s
Glasgow Hillhead by-election, 1948, Unionist hold
Stirling and Falkirk by-election, 1948, Lab hold
Glasgow Gorbals by-election, 1948, Lab hold
Paisley by-election, 1948, Lab hold
Glasgow Camlachie by-election, 1948, Unionist gain from Lab
Edinburgh East by-election, 1947, Lab hold
Kilmarnock by-election, 1946, Lab hold
Combined Scottish Universities by-election, 1946, Unionist gain from Ind
Aberdeen South by-election, 1946, Unionist hold
Glasgow Bridgeton by-election, 1946, ILP hold
Glasgow Cathcart by-election, 1946, Unionist hold
South Ayrshire by-election, 1946, Lab hold
Edinburgh East by-election, 1945, Lab hold
Motherwell by-election, 1945, SNP gain from Lab
Combined Scottish Universities by-election, 1945, Ind gain from National Liberal
Kirkcaldy Burghs by-election, 1944, Lab hold
Midlothian and Peeblesshire by-election, 1943, Unionist hold
Hamilton by-election, 1943, Lab hold
Glasgow Cathcart by-election, 1942, Unionist hold
Edinburgh Central by-election, 1941, Unionist hold
Edinburgh West by-election, 1941, Unionist hold
Greenock by-election, 1941, Lab hold
Dunbartonshire by-election, 1941, Lab hold
Montrose Burghs by-election, 1940, National Liberal hold
East Renfrewshire by-election, 1940, Unionist hold
Glasgow Pollok by-election, 1940, Unionist hold
Argyll by-election, 1940, Unionist hold
1930s
Clackmannanshire and East Stirlingshire by-election, 1939, Lab hold
South Ayrshire by-election, 1939, Lab hold
Kincardineshire and West Aberdeenshire by-election, 1939, Unionist hold
Kinross-shire and Perthshire by-election, 1938, Unionist hold
Combined Scottish Universities by-election, 1938, National Liberal gain from National Labour
Glasgow Springburn by-election, 1937, Lab hold
Glasgow Hillhead by-election, 1937, Unionist hold
Greenock by-election, 1936, Lab gain from National Liberal
Dunbartonshire by-election, 1936, Lab gain from Unionist
Ross and Cromarty by-election, 1936, National Labour gain from National Liberal
Combined Scottish Universities by-election, 1936, National Labour gain from Unionist
Dumfriesshire by-election, 1935, National Liberal hold
Combined Scottish Universities by-election, 1935, Unionist hold
Aberdeen South by-election, 1935, Unionist hold
Edinburgh West by-election, 1935, Unionist hold
Perth by-election, 1935, National Liberal hold
Combined Scottish Universities by-election, 1934, Liberal hold
Kilmarnock by-election, 1933, National Labour hold
East Fife by-election, 1933, National Liberal hold
Montrose by-election, 1933, National Liberal hold
Dunbartonshire by-election, 1932, Unionist hold
Rutherglen by-election, 1931, Labour hold
Glasgow St Rollox by-election, 1931, Labour hold
East Renfrewshire by-election, 1930, Unionist hold
Glasgow Shettleston by-election, 1930, Labour hold
1920s
Kilmarnock by-election, 1929, Labour hold
North Lanarkshire by-election, 1929, Labour gain from Unionist
Midlothian and Peeblesshire Northern by-election, 1929, Labour gain from Unionist
Aberdeen North by-election, 1928, Labour hold
Linlithgowshire by-election, 1928, Labour gain gain from Unionist
Combined Scottish Universities by-election, 1927, Unionist hold
Leith by-election, 1927, Liberal hold
East Renfrewshire by-election, 1926, Unionist hold
Dunbartonshire by-election, 1926, Unionist hold
Galloway by-election, 1925, Unionist hold
Ayr Burghs by-election, 1925, Unionist hold
Dundee by-election, 1924, Labour hold
Glasgow Kelvingrove by-election, 1924, Unionist hold
Moray and Nairn by-election, 1922, Coalition Liberal hold
Inverness by-election, 1922, Coalition Liberal hold
Orkney and Shetland by-election, 1921, Coalition Liberal hold
Glasgow Pollok by-election, 1921, Coalition Unionist hold
Kirkcaldy Burghs by-election, 1921, Labour gain from Coalition Liberal
Edinburgh North by-election, 1920, Coalition Unionist hold
Edinburgh South by-election, 1920, Coalition Unionist hold
Argyll by-election, 1920, Coalition Liberal hold
Paisley by-election, 1920, Liberal hold
1910s
Bothwell by-election, 1919, Labour gain from Coalition Unionist
Elgin Burghs by-election, 1918, Liberal hold
Ross by-election, 1918, Unionist hold
Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities by-election, 1917, Unionist hold
Dundee by-election, 1917, Liberal hold
Edinburgh South by-election, 1917, Liberal hold
Aberdeen South by-election, 1917, Liberal hold
West Perthshire by-election, 1917, Unionist hold
Inverness-shire by-election, 1917, Liberal hold
Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities by-election, 1916, Unionist hold
North Ayrshire by-election, 1916, Unionist hold
Berwickshire by-election, 1916, Liberal hold
Glasgow Central by-election, 1915, Unionist hold
Kilmarnock District by-election, 1915, Liberal hold
Wigtownshire by-election, 1915, Unionist hold
East Fife by-election, 1914, Liberal hold
Leith Burghs by-election, 1914, Unionist gain
South Lanarkshire by-election, 1913, Unionist gain
Wick District by-election, 1913, Liberal hold
Linlithgowshire by-election, 1913, Liberal hold
Edinburghshire by-election, 1912, Unionist gain
Glasgow St Rollox by-election, 1912, Liberal hold
Edinburgh East by-election, 1912, Liberal hold
Govan by-election, 1911, Liberal hold
North Ayrshire by-election, 1911, Liberal gain
Kilmarnock District by-election, 1911, Liberal hold
Glasgow Tradeston by-election, 1911, Liberal hold
Ross and Cromarty by-election, 1911, Liberal hold
Haddingtonshire by-election, 1911, Liberal hold
North East Lanarkshire by-election, 1911, Liberal hold
Edinburgh South by-election, 1910, Liberal hold
Govan by-election, 1910, Liberal hold
European Parliament
General elections
2009, 2004 and 1999
Contested under the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.
In 1999, the Scotland-wide constituency replaced 8 first-past-the-post constituencies, which were used in the elections between 1979 and 1994: Glasgow
Highlands and Islands
Lothians
Mid Scotland and Fife
North East Scotland
South of Scotland
Strathclyde East
Strathclyde West
Since then, the number of MEPs returned by Scotland has been reduced to 7 (2004) and 6 (2009).
For details and election results, see the separate article: Scotland (European Parliament constituency)
1994
Contested under the first-past-the-post voting system (only parties with more than 1% of total vote shown):
1989
Contested under the first-past-the-post voting system (only parties with more than 1% of total vote shown):
1984
Contested under the first-past-the-post voting system (only parties with more than 1% of total vote shown):
1979
Contested under the first-past-the-post voting system:
By-elections
North East Scotland by-election, 1998, SNP gain from Lab
Local councils
General elections
As one consequence of the Gould Report, the next council elections are scheduled for 2012 (one year after the Parliamentary elections); this date will be confirmed when the Scottish Local Government (Elections) Bill is enacted.
2007
The election was contested for the first time under the STV system of proportional representation.
See Scottish council elections, 2007 for further analysis
By-elections
2008
date to be announced: Abbey (4-member ward), Dumfries and Galloway, 1 member elected by single transferable vote: result pending (result May 2007: 2 Con, 1 SNP, 1 Lab)
1 May: Troup (3-member ward), Aberdeenshire, 1 member elected by single transferable vote: result pending (result May 2007: 1 SNP, 1 Con, 1 Ind)
6 March: Cambuslang East (3-member ward), South Lanarkshire, 1 member elected by single transferable vote: Lab gain from SNP (result May 2007: 2 Lab, 1 SNP; after by election: 3 Lab)
28 February: Lerwick South (4-member ward), Shetland, 1 member elected by single transferable vote: Ind hold (result May 2007: 4 Ind; after by election: 4 Ind)
21 February: Highland (3-member ward), Perth and Kinross, 1 member elected by single transferable vote: SNP hold (result May 2007: 2 SNP, 1 Con; after by election: 2 SNP, 1 Con)
14 February: Elgin City South (3-member ward), Moray, 1 member elected by single transferable vote: SNP gain from Ind (result May 2007: 1 SNP, 1 Lab, 1 Ind; after by election: 2 SNP, 1 Lab)
31 January: Kilsyth (3-member ward), North Lanarkshire, 1 member elected by single transferable vote: Lab hold (result May 2007: 2 Lab, 1 SNP; after by election: 2 Lab, 1 SNP)
2007
22 November: Lochee (4-member ward), Dundee, 1 member elected by single transferable vote: SNP hold (result May 2007: 2 SNP, 2 Lab; after by election: 2 SNP, 2 Lab)
4 October: Helensburgh and Lomond South (3-member ward), Argyll and Bute, 1 member elected by single transferable vote: Lib Dem gain from Ind (result May 2007: 1 Con, 1 Ind, 1 Lib Dem; after by election: 2 Lib Dem, 1 Con)
16 August: Midstocket/Rosemount (3-member ward), Aberdeen, 1 member elected by single transferable vote: SNP gain from Con (result May 2007: 1 Con, 1 SNP, 1 Lab; after by election: 2 SNP, 1 Lab)
2006
8 December: Elderslie, Renfrewshire, Lab hold (16% swing Lab to SNP)
28 September: Markinch and Woodside East, Fife, SNP gain from Lab
10 August: Lochardil, Highland, Lib Dem gain from Ind
15 June: Dumbarton West, West Dunbartonshire, SNP gain from Lab
18 May: Altonhill Hillhead and Longpark, East Ayrshire, SNP hold
11 May: Biggar, Symington and Black Mount, South Lanarkshire, Con gain from SNP
30 March: Avondale South, South Lanarkshire, Con hold
30 March: Borestone, Stirling, SNP gain from Lab
30 March: King's Park, Glasgow, Lib Dem gain from Lab
16 February: Milton, Glasgow, SNP gain from Lab
2 February: North Carrick and Maybole East, South Ayrshire, Ind gain from Lab
2005
8 December: Kirkshaws, North Lanarkshire, Lab hold
10 November: Knightswood Park, Glasgow, Lab hold
10 November: Loanhead, Midlothian, SNP gain from Ind
10 November: Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Con hold
13 October: Lochside, Dumfries and Galloway, Lab gain from Ind
29 September: Auchtertool and Burntisland East, Fife, SNP gain from Ind
11 August: Herbertshire, Falkirk, SNP gain from Lab
16 June: Kildrum and Park, North Lanarkshire, SNP gain from Ind
9 June: Huntly East, Aberdeenshire, Con hold
9 June: Kilnknowe and Clovenfords, Borders, SNP gain from Ind
17 March: Dalkeith/Woodburn, Midlothian, Lib Dem gain from Lab
17 March: Dumbarton West, West Dunbartonshire, Lab hold
Other elections
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