Elections in Scotland

Scotland has elections to several bodies: the Scottish Parliament, the United Kingdom Parliament, the European Parliament, local councils and community councils.

cottish Parliament

General elections

Only political parties with more than 1% of the total vote are shown.

Most recent election

Election box candidate with party link
|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = 11 (+2)
votes = 528,076
percentage = 22.6
change = +6.3Election box candidate with party link
|party = Scottish National Party
candidate = 6 (+2)
votes = 412,267
percentage = 17.7
change = -2.4Election box candidate with party link
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = 1 (+1)
votes = 369,388
percentage = 15.8
change = +0.2Election box candidate with party link
|party = Scottish Socialist Party
candidate = "None"
votes = 43,514
percentage = 1.9
change = -1.2Election box candidate with party link
|party = Scottish Green Party
candidate = "None"
votes = 25,760
percentage = 1.1
change = +0.9

2001

Election box begin for list
|title=UK Parliament election 2001: ScotlandElection box candidate with party link
|party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = 55 (-1)
votes = 1,001,173
percentage = 43.3
change = -2.3Election box candidate with party link
|party = Scottish National Party
candidate = 5 (-1)
votes = 464,314
percentage = 20.1
change = -2.0Election box candidate with party link
|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = 10 (no change)
votes = 378,034
percentage = 16.3
change = +3.4Election box candidate with party link
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = 1 (+1)
votes = 360,658
percentage = 15.6
change = -1.9Election box candidate with party link
|party = Scottish Socialist Party
candidate = "None"
votes = 72,516
percentage = 3.1
change = +2.8

By-elections

2000s

*Glenrothes by-election, 2008, "pending"
*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

2004 and 1999

Contested under the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation, see:
*Scotland (European Parliament constituency)

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

1994

Contested under the first-past-the-post voting system (only parties with more than 1% of total vote shown):Election box begin for list
|title=European Election 1994: ScotlandElection box candidate with party link
|party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Kenneth Collins
Alexander Falconer
David Martin
Hugh McMahon
Bill Miller
Alex Smith
votes = 635,955
percentage = 42.5
change = +0.6Election box candidate with party link
|party = Scottish National Party
candidate = Winnie Ewing
Allan Macartney
votes = 487,239
percentage = 32.6
change = +7.0Election box candidate with party link
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = "None"
votes = 216,669
percentage = 14.5
change = -6.4Election box candidate with party link
|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = "None"
votes = 107,811
percentage = 7.2
change = +2.9Election box candidate with party link
|party = Scottish Green Party
candidate = "None"
votes = 23,304
percentage = 1.6
change = -5.6

1989

Contested under the first-past-the-post voting system (only parties with more than 1% of total vote shown):Election box begin for list
|title=European Election 1989: ScotlandElection box candidate with party link
|party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Janey Buchan
Kenneth Collins
Alexander Falconer
David Martin
Henry McCubbin
Hugh McMahon
Alex Smith
votes = 664,263
percentage = 41.9
change = +1.2Election box candidate with party link
|party = Scottish National Party
candidate = Winnie Ewing
votes = 406,686
percentage = 25.6
change = +7.7Election box candidate with party link
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = "None"
votes = 331,495
percentage = 20.9
change = -4.9Election box candidate with party link
|party = Green Party (UK)
candidate = "None"
votes = 115,028
percentage = 7.2
change = +7.0Election box candidate with party link
|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = "None"
votes = 68,056
percentage = 4.3
change = -11.3

1984

Contested under the first-past-the-post voting system (only parties with more than 1% of total vote shown):Election box begin for list
|title=European Election 1984: ScotlandElection box candidate with party link
|party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Janey Buchan
Kenneth Collins
Alexander Falconer
David Martin
Hugh McMahon
votes = 526,056
percentage = 40.7
change = +7.7Election box candidate with party link
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Alasdair Hutton
James Provan
votes = 332,771
percentage = 25.8
change = -7.9Election box candidate with party link
|party = Scottish National Party
candidate = Winnie Ewing
votes = 230,590
percentage = 17.9
change = -1.5Election box candidate with party link
|party = SDP-Liberal Alliance
candidate = "None"
votes = 201,782
percentage = 15.6
change = +1.7

1979

Contested under the first-past-the-post voting system:Election box begin for list
|title=European Election 1979: ScotlandElection box candidate with party link
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Ian Dalziel
Adam Fergusson
Alasdair Hutton
James Provan
John Purvis
votes = 430,772
percentage = 33.7
change = N/AElection box candidate with party link
|party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Janey Buchan
Kenneth Collins
votes = 421,968
percentage = 33.0
change = N/AElection box candidate with party link
|party = Scottish National Party
candidate = Winnie Ewing
votes = 247,836
percentage = 19.4
change = N/AElection box candidate with party link
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = "None"
votes = 178,433
percentage = 13.9
change = N/A

By-elections

*North East Scotland by-election, 1998, SNP gain from Lab

Local councils

General elections

The next election is on the 3rd May 2007 (jointly with the election for the Scottish Parliament). See Scottish council elections, 2007 for further information.

2003

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

Community councils

Other elections

Referendums

Church of Scotland

References