#SP2021 – the polls are open

The polling stations in Edinburgh opened at 7.00am this morning and will be open all the way through until 10.00pm.

All polling stations in Edinburgh are listed here where around 8.7% of Scotland’s electorate – 401,321 people – will vote in the 2021 Scottish Parliament Election. In the capital 140 buildings will be used a polling places on Thursday housing 352 polling stations. Each station has two ballot boxes – one for the local constituency paper and one for the peach coloured regional paper. Over 900 polling staff will assist the public to cast their vote.

There are six constituencies in Edinburgh – Edinburgh Central, Edinburgh Eastern, Edinburgh Northern & Leith, Edinburgh Pentlands, Edinburgh Southern and Edinburgh Western. The Lothian Region also includes the three constituencies Almond Valley, Linlithgow and Midlothian North & Musselburgh.

We have visited Leith Walk Primary School this morning where Scottish Greens candidate, Lorna Slater, was casting her vote:

At the 140 polling places the council has supplied:

• 250,000 pencils – but do note that you are encouraged to bring your own
• 632 bottles of hand gel
• 140 bottles of anti-bac spray
• 140 blue rolls
• 140 boxes of face masks
• 140 boxes of gloves
• 280 visors

If you have not yet posted your postal vote then you can still vote in person if you are in Edinburgh to do so. A postal vote has to be received by the Returning Officer, Chief Executive of The City of Edinburgh Council, Andrew Kerr, by post by 10pm on Thursday evening. But you can also return your ballot papers either to the City Chambers reception of at Waverley Court reception, or to a polling place in the City of Edinburgh Council area.

If you have made a mistake on your ballot paper then you can still get a replacement but you would need to make an appointment to go to the City Chambers and collect it, and you have to present your ID.

The candidates you can vote for are as follows:

Edinburgh Central

• Independent – Bob, Bonnie Prince
• Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party – Douglas, Scott
• Scottish Green Party – Johnstone, Alison
• Scottish Labour Party – Kirkman, Maddy
• Scottish Libertarian Party – Laird, Tam
• UK Independence Party (UKIP) – Mackay, Donald Murdo
• Scottish National Party (SNP) – Robertson, Angus
• Scottish Liberal Democrats – Wilson, Bruce Roy

Edinburgh Eastern

• Scottish Labour Party – Cook, Bill
• Scottish National Party (SNP) – Denham, Ash
• Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party – Hutchison, Graham
• Scottish Liberal Democrats – Reilly, Jill

Edinburgh Northern and Leith

• Scottish Liberal Democrats – Bell, Rebecca
• Scottish Labour Party – Faccenda, Katrina
• Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party – Laidlaw, Callum
• Scottish National Party (SNP) – Macpherson, Ben
• Freedom Alliance– Integrity, Society, Economy – Pullman, Jon
• Scottish Green Party – Slater, Lorna

Edinburgh Pentlands

• Scottish Labour Party and Scottish Co-operative Party – Cameron, Lezley Marion
• Scottish Liberal Democrats – Graham, Fraser John Ashmore
• Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party – Lindhurst, Gordon
• Scottish Family Party – Lucas, Richard Crewe
• Scottish National Party (SNP) – MacDonald, Gordon

Edinburgh Southern

• Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party – Briggs, Miles
• Scottish Family Party – Holden, Philip
• Scottish Labour Party and Scottish Co-operative Party – Johnson, Daniel
• Scottish National Party (SNP) – MacDonald, Catriona Mary Elizabeth
• Scottish Liberal Democrats – Mackintosh, Fred

Edinburgh Western

• Scottish Liberal Democrats – Cole-Hamilton, Alex
• Scottish Libertarian Party – Fraser, Daniel
• Scottish Labour Party – Graham, Margaret Arma
• Scottish National Party (SNP) – Masson, Sarah
• Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party – Webber, Sue

Lothian Region

• ABOLISH THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT PARTY
• ALBA PARTY
• ALL FOR UNITY
• ANIMAL WELFARE PARTY
• COMMUNIST PARTY OF BRITAIN
• FREEDOM ALLIANCE- INTEGRITY, SOCIETY, ECONOMY
• REFORM UK
• SCOTTISH CONSERVATIVE AND UNIONIST PARTY
• SCOTTISH FAMILY PARTY
• SCOTTISH GREEN PARTY
• SCOTTISH LABOUR PARTY
• SCOTTISH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
• SCOTTISH LIBERTARIAN PARTY
• SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY (SNP)
• SCOTTISH RENEW
• SCOTTISH WOMEN’S EQUALITY PARTY
• SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY
• UK INDEPENDENCE PARTY (UKIP)
• INDEPENDENT – Graczyk, Ashley

The count will take place from 9.30am on Friday morning and will continue during Friday and Saturday.