Upsets in Ross-shire as votes are counted
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ROSS-SHIRE residents are finding out who will be representing their interests on the newly elected Highland Council.
The hotly contested Cromarty Firth ward is going to a dramatic 5pm recount.
Results to date have seen a handful of major upsets with David Chisholm (Independent) and Peter Cairns (SNP) ousted from the Dingwall and Seaforth ward.
In Tain and Easter Ross, Richard Durham (Independent) has been ousted, with former MSP Jamie Stone marking a return to local government.
It’s a case of as you were on the Black Isle, where all four sitting councillors were returned.
In the sprawling Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh ward, an SNP member, Ian Cockburn, has taken the seat vacated by Jean Urquhart, also SNP, who stood down after being elected an MSP.
The Journal understands confusion about the single transferable vote (STV) voting system – which invites electors to list candidates according to preference – has resulted in a larger than usual number of invalid ballots and caused difficulties for the electronic scanning system used.
While many veteran Ross-shire councillors have been returned for another five-year term, there are a number of newcomers. In Dingwall and Seaforth, former Dingwall Academy rector, Graham Mackenzie, standing for the SNP, has been elected.
However his SNP running mate, Peter Cairns, failed to be re-elected. Another seasoned campaigner, David Chisholm, has also been ousted. Alister Mackinnon, an independent who lives in Conon Bridge, has been elected.
We’ll bring full results and updates following the late recount. The results to date are as follows:
Tain and Easter Ross
Alasdair Rhind (Independent)
Fiona Robertson (Independent)
Jamie Stone (Lib Dem)
Electorate 7051, turnout was 44.05
Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh
Biz Campbell (Lib Dems)
Ian Cockburn (SNP)
Richard Greene (Independent)
Audrey Sinclair (Independent)
Electorate 9612, turnout was 44.45 per cent.
Black Isle
David Alston (Lib Dem)
Billy Barclay (Independent)
Craig Fraser (SNP)
Isobel McCallum (Independent)
Electorate 8205, turnout was 51.9 per cent.
Dingwall and Seaforth
Graham MacKenzie (SNP)
Alister Mackinnon (Independent)
Angela MacLean (Lib Dems)
Margaret Paterson (Independent)
Electorate 9256, turnout was 39.04 per cent.
