Elections

Scottish Parliamentary Elections - 7 May 2026

Scotland will go to the polls on Thursday 7 May 2026 to elect 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). MSPs are elected through two voting systems:

• 73 constituency MSPs are elected using First Past the Post
• 56 regional MSPs are elected using the regional party list system

The Electoral Commission explains how MSPs are elected and what they do.

Our Chief Executive is the Returning Officer for two constituencies:

• Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale
• Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire

Polling will take place on Thursday 7 May 2026, with results expected on Friday 8 May 2026.

The election notices for the constituency polls and the regional poll were published on Monday 16 March. 

Please note, the regional poll is administered by Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Information for voters

Are you vote-ready

If you live in the Scottish Borders, now is the perfect time to make sure you're ready to have your say.

You need to register by Monday 20 April for the Scottish Parliament election. You can register online or find out more information about registering to vote through the Electoral Commission.

You can check if you’re already registered to vote by contacting the Electoral Registration Office at Electoral.Registration@scotborders.gov.uk or by phoning 01835 825100.

If you move house, you must register to vote again.

If you change your name for any reason you can contact the Electoral Registration Officer to request a change of name form.

Voting by post or proxy

If you can’t get to the polling station on polling day you can apply to vote by post or vote by proxy.

• The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Tuesday 21 April.
• The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 5pm on Tuesday 28 April.

Completed postal and proxy votes must be returned to the Electoral Registration Officer, PO Box 13639, Council Headquarters, Melrose, TD6 6BQ

Get help with electoral registration

Contact the Electoral Registration Officer to find out if you’re on the electoral register, and if you already have a postal or proxy vote.

• Phone: 01835 825100
• Email: Electoral.Registration@scotborders.gov.uk

Being prepared early means you won't miss out when polling day arrives. Make sure your voice is heard in May.

How to vote

To vote you simply place a cross (X) against the candidate of your choice on the constituency (lilac) ballot paper and a cross (X) against your party or individual candidate of choice on the regional list (peach) ballot paper.

Information for candidates and agents

This section provides essential information for prospective candidates, agents, and political parties wishing to take part in either the constituency or regional contests.

Scottish Parliament Election nomination guidance for candidates and agents (DOC, 73kb) has been prepared to support candidates complete their nomination forms for the Scottish Parliament Elections to be held on Thursday, 7 May 2026. 

Nomination papers (DOC, 67kb) must be lodged in person with the Returning Officer at the Election Office, Council Headquarters, Newtown St Boswells, TD6 0SA, no later than 4pm on Wednesday 1 April 2026.

Deposits

We encourage candidates to make their deposit payment online and lodge their nomination paperwork on the same day.

Please ensure that on the payments webpage 'Elections Deposit Payment' is showing under the 'Payments entry' text near the top left of the page. If not, please select 'Elections Deposit' from the menu on the left hand side before proceeding.

In the 'Reference' field, please include the candidate's name, and please specify the relevant constituency in the following field.

If required, support is available from the Elections team, whose contact details can be found at the bottom of this page.

Guidance videos for candidates and nominating officers

The Electoral Commission has produced various videos to support those submitting nomination papers, which are published on the Commission's YouTube channel:

• Guidance for Scottish Parliament constituency candidates on completing your nomination papers
• Guidance for Scottish Parliament regional individual candidates on completing your nomination papers
• Guidance for Scottish Parliament party list nominating officers on completing nomination papers

Key dates

• Prospective candidates online briefing: 3 March 2026
• Notice of Election published: 16 March 2026
• Nominations open: 17 March 2026
• Nominations close: 1 April 2026
• Online candidates and agents briefing: 30 April 2026
• Polling day: Thursday 7 May 2026
• Count: Friday 8 May 2026

Qualifications and disqualifications

Full eligibility criteria is outlined in the Electoral Commission’s guidance. Typical requirements include:

• At least 18 years old
• A British citizen, a qualifying Commonwealth citizen, or a qualifying foreign national
• Not disqualified under electoral, bankruptcy, or criminal offence provisions

Candidates safety and support

Standing for election is a vital part of our democratic process, and all candidates should be able to campaign safely and with confidence. A number of organisations – including Police Scotland, the Electoral Commission, the Electoral Management Board and local authorities – work together to support and protect candidates and to respond when unacceptable behaviour occurs.
Candidates who experience intimidation, harassment or abuse during the election period are encouraged to report concerns to Police Scotland. There is no expectation that candidates should know whether a particular incident is a criminal offence before reporting it.

Guidance jointly developed by Police Scotland, the Electoral Commission and the Electoral Management Board is available to help candidates understand the types of behaviour they may encounter and how to respond. This guidance is available for election candidates in Scotland from the Electoral Commission, it also explains when and how to seek police assistance.

We are committed to supporting a safe and respectful democratic process for everyone taking part in the Scottish Parliament elections on 7 May. Prospective candidates can contact the elections office for more guidance.