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Nominations are open for people to register as candidates in May's Scottish election for constituency and regional list seats


By Scott Maclennan

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People can vote either in person, by proxy or by mail.
People can vote either in person, by proxy or by mail.

Official notice has been issued for nominations for Highland seats in the May Scottish Parliamentary Elections.

On behalf of the Constituency and Regional Returning Officer forms are now available for candidates seeking election to Holyrood.

The election will take place on Thursday May 6 with polling taking place in three Highland constituencies where MSPs are elected under the 'first past the post' voting system – the candidate with the most votes is elected to serve.

The constituency areas are:

  • Caithness, Sutherland and Ross
  • Inverness and Nairn
  • Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch

As well as returning a local constituency MSPS, voters will be asked to elect seven additional MSPs from the more extensive Highlands and Islands Regional List constituencies.

Regional MSPs are elected using the party list system, which means people vote for their preferred party or individual candidate – the second vote on the ballot paper.

They are:

  • Argyll and Bute
  • Caithness, Sutherland and Ross
  • Inverness and Nairn
  • Moray
  • Na h-Eileanan an lar (Western Isles)
  • Orkney
  • Shetland
  • Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch

The deadline for nomination forms for candidates to be submitted is 4pm on Wednesday, 31 March 2021.

The public must be registered to vote by the deadline of Monday, April 9. There are three ways to vote – in person at a polling station, through a proxy vote so someone can vote on your behalf or by post.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm, Tuesday April 6.

To register to vote click here www.gov.uk/register-to-vote or call the Electoral Registration Office on 0800 393 783 to request a paper form to be sent to you.

For a postal vote you can download an application form here www.saa.gov.uk/h-wi-vjb or you can can request that the forms be sent to you.

The Electoral Registration Office can arrange for application forms to be sent to you in the post.


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