Following a by-election on 3 September, a new councillor has been elected in Southside/Newington Ward 15.
The new councillor is Ruth Elliott whose campaign was masterminded by veteran Labour activist and former MP, Sheila Gilmore.
There were 6,741 votes cast which equals a 27.3% turnout from an electorate of 24,666.
Ms Elliott said: “It is an absolute honour to be elected for Southside/Newington. I am so excited to represent this ward. I love this ward. I am so proud of myself and my campaign and all the work that we have put in. Thank you very much Sheila – you have been the best agent ever. Thank you to Cllr Tim Pogson for his fantastic support and to my friends and family, as well as the activists. I am so grateful also to the voters who voted for me and congratulations to the other candidates..”
She said to the Scottish Greens candidate Isabella Gastel Alejandre that since the vote came down to either a Labour or Green councillor she knew it would be a woman in her 20s who would be walking into the council next week.
The by-election was called after former councillor, Simita Kumar, was elected to The Scottish Parliament in May, and quickly appointed as a Minister in John Swinney’s cabinet.
The votes for all candidates were as follows:
- Elliott, Ruth – Scottish Labour Party (2,153)
- Emms, Derrick – Edinburgh & East Lothian People (9)
- Gastel Alejandre, Isabella – Scottish Greens (1,978)
- Keirdashian, Roisin – Independent (63)
- Khovanov, Artie – Scottish Liberal Democrats (543)
- Layden, Nick – Scottish Conservative and Unionist (717)
- Lucas, Richard Crewe – Scottish Family Party – Christian Values (38)
- Mackenzie, Sam Alexander – Scottish National Party (SNP) (757)
- Moffat, Sean McGregor – Alliance for Democracy and Freedom (12)
- Neill, Gary – Reform UK (305)
- Rowbotham, Markham – Edinburgh & East Lothian People (7)
- Shillcock, Richard – Communist Party of Britain (46)
- Wilkinson, Marc – Edinburgh & East Lothian People (78)
In 2022 the results at the council election were as follows:
Candidates elected
- BURGESS, Steve – Scottish Green Party elected at stage 1
- FLANNERY, Pauline – Scottish Liberal Democrats elected at stage 5
- KUMAR, Simita – Scottish National Party (SNP) elected at stage 3
- POGSON, Tim – Labour and Co-Operative Party elected at stage 1
Electorate: 24,152
Votes cast: 11,884
Turnout: 49.2%
