Scotland has elections to several bodies: the Scottish Parliament, the United Kingdom Parliament, local councils and community councils. Before the United Kingdom left the European Union, Scotland elected members to the European Parliament.
Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliamentary elections use the Additional Member System (AMS). Under this system, voters are given two votes: one for their constituency, which elects a single MSP by first-past-the-post; and one for their region, which elects seven MSPs by closed list. Five Scottish Parliamentary elections have been held since the reconvention of the Scottish Parliament in 1999. Elections are held every five years, on the first Thursday in May.
2026
Party Seats Seats change Constituency votes Constituency votes, of total (%) Constituency vote change (%) Regional votes Regional votes, of total (%) Regional vote change (%) Total votes Total votes, (%) Total votes change (%) Seats won, of total (%) 58 6 877,077 38.2 9.5 625,949 27.2 13.1 1,503,026 32.7 11.19 44.96 17 5 440,708 19.2 2.4 368,785 16.0 1.9 809,493 17.6 2.14 13.18 17 17 361,994 15.8 New 383,425 16.6 16.4 745,419 16.2 16.2 13.18 15 7 52,528 2.3 1.0 321,964 14.0 5.9 374,492 8.14 3.45 11.63 12 19 271,740 11.8 10.1 271,550 11.8 11.7 543,290 11.8 10.82 9.3 10 6 261,408 11.4 4.4 216,224 9.4 4.3 477,632 10.38 4.41 7.75 0 31,704 1.38 0.80 115,615 5.02 0.08 147,319 3.20 0.37 0.0 2,297,159 100 2,303,512 100 4,600,671 100Registered voters/Turnout 4,320,98153.16 10.3 4,320,98153.30 10.19 8,641,96253.23 10.24
2021
Party Seats Seats change Constituency votes Constituency votes, of total (%) Constituency vote change (%) Regional votes Regional votes, of total (%) Regional vote change (%) Total votes Total votes, (%) Total votes change (%) Seats won, of total (%) 64 1 1,291,204 47.7 1.2 1,094,374 40.3 1.4 2,385,578 43.89 0.21 49.6 31 592,518 21.9 0.1 637,131 23.5 0.6 1,229,649 22.62 0.15 24.0 22 2 584,392 21.6 1.0 488,819 18.0 1.0 1,073,211 19.74 1.07 17.05 8 2 34,990 1.3 0.7 220,324 8.1 1.5 255,314 4.69 1.11 6.2 4 1 187,746 6.9 0.9 137,152 5.1 0.1 324,898 5.97 0.54 3.1 0 15,833 0.58 0.08 137,984 5.1 0.6 153,817 2.83 0.34 0.0 2,706,761 100 2,712,784 100 5,434,851 100Registered voters/Turnout 4,280,78563.467.66 4,280,78563.497.69 8,561,57063.477.67
2016
Party Seats Seats change Constituency votes Constituency votes, of total (%) Constituency vote change (%) Regional votes Regional votes, of total (%) Regional vote change (%) Total votes Total votes, (%) Total votes change (%) Seats won, of total (%) 63 6 1,059,897 46.5 1.1 953,587 41.7 2.3 2,013,484 44.10 0.60 48.8 31 16 501,844 22.0 8.1 524,222 22.9 10.6 1,026,066 22.479.34 24.03 24 13 514,261 22.6 9.2 435,919 19.1 7.2 950,180 20.81 8.18 18.60 6 4 13,172 0.6 0.6 150,426 6.6 2.2 163,598 3.58 1.40 4.65 5 178,238 7.8 1.0 119,284 5.2 297,522 6.51 0.04 3.87 0 1 11,741 0.5 0.58 102,314 4.5 3.02 114,055 2.49 1.89 0 2,279,154 100 2,285,752 100 4,564,906 100Registered voters/Turnout 4,099,90755.905.24 4,099,90755.755.36 5,434,85155.675.30
2011
Party Seats Seats change Constituency votes Constituency votes, of total (%) Constituency vote change (%) Regional votes Regional votes, of total (%) Regional vote change (%) Total votes Total votes, (%) Total votes change (%) Seats won, of total (%) 69 23 902,915 45.5 12.5876,42144.0 13.0 1,779,33644.7012.74 53.48 37 7630,46131.7 0.5523,46926.3 2.9 1,153,93028.991.64 28.68 15 5276,65213.9 2.7 245,96712.4 1.5 522,61913.132.01 11.6 5 12157,714 7.9 8.2103,472 5.2 6.1 261,1866.567.18 3.87 2 1 0 0.0 0.186,939 4.4 0.3 86,9392.180.08 1.55 1 21,534 1.08 0.92 149,809 7.52 3.08 171,343 4.30 2.03 0.77 1,989,276 1001,990,836 100 3,980,112 100Registered voters/Turnout3,950,62650.350.703,950,62650.391.31 7,901,25250.371.01
2007
Party Seats Seats change Constituency votes Constituency votes, of total (%) Constituency vote change (%) Regional votes Regional votes, of total (%) Regional vote change (%) Total votes Total votes, (%) Total votes change (%) Seats won, of total (%) 4720 664,227 32.9 9.1 633,61131.010.1 1,297,83831.969.6536.43 464 648,37432.12.5 595,41529.10.2 1,243,78930.631.3635.65 171 334,74316.6 284,035 13.91.6 614,77815.140.9113.17 161 326,23216.2 0.8 230,65111.3 0.5 556,88313.740.1712.40 252,971 0.1 8.5 82,5774.0 2.9 85,5842.101.341.55 19 40,431 2.07.6216,57710.64.0257,0086.336.310.772,016,9781002,042,8661004,059,844100Registered voters/Turnout3,950,62651.051.633,950,62651.702.307,901,25251.381.89 (Liberal Democrats won Dunfermline West, not Labour)
2003
Party Seats Seats change Constituency votes Constituency votes, of total (%) Constituency vote change (%) Regional votes Regional votes, of total (%) Regional vote change (%) Total votes Total votes, (%) Total votes change (%) Seats won, of total (%) 506 663,58534.64.2 561,37529.34.3 1,224,96031.964.2538.8 278 455,722 23.85.1 399,65920.96.4 855,38122.315.7020.9 18 318,27916.61.0 296,929 15.50.1 615,20816.050.6014.0 17 294,34715.41.2 225,77411.80.6 520,12113.570.2513.2 76 - - - 132,1386.93.3 132,1383.441.655.4 108 184,641 9.66.9299,94614.67.1484,58712.647.457.91,916,5741001,915,8211003,832,395100Registered voters/Turnout3,877,46049.428.743,877,46049.408.577,754,92049.498.62
1999
Party Seats Constituency votes Constituency votes, of total (%) Regional votes Regional votes, of total (%) Total votes Total votes, (%) Seats won, of total (%) 56 908,34638.8 786,81833.6 1,695,16436.2143.41 35 672,768 28.7 638,64427.3 1,311,41228.0127.13 18 364,42515.6 359,109 15.4 723,53415.4513.95 17 333,17914.2 290,76012.4 623,93913.3213.17 1 - - 84,0233.6 84,0231.790.77 2 63,770 2.7179,4817.5243,2515.191.552,342,4881002,338,8351004,681,323100Registered voters/Turnout4,027,43358.164,027,43357.978,054,86658.11
By-elections
2019 Shetland by-election, Lib Dem hold 2017 Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire by-election, Con hold 2014 Cowdenbeath by-election, Lab hold 2013 Dunfermline by-election, Lab gain from SNP 2013 Aberdeen Donside by-election, SNP hold 2006 Moray by-election, SNP hold 2005 Glasgow Cathcart by-election, Lab hold 2001 Banff and Buchan by-election, SNP hold 2001 Strathkelvin and Bearsden by-election, Lab hold 2000 Glasgow Anniesland by-election, Lab hold 2000 Ayr by-election, Con gain from Lab
UK Parliament
2024
Party Seats Seats change Seats contested Votes Votes, of total (%) Change (%) 37 36 57 851,897 35.3 16.7 9 39 57 724,758 30.0 15.0 5 1 57 307,344 12.7 12.4 6 4 57 234,228 9.7 0.2 0 57 167,979 7.0 6.5 0 44 92,685 3.8 2.8 0 35,919 1.5 1.4 Turnout 2,414,810 59.28.4
2019
Party Seats Seats change Seats contested Votes Votes, of total (%) Change (%) 48 13 59Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath candidate Neale Hanvey was suspended before the election but appeared on ballot papers as an SNP candidate. 1,242,380 45.0 8.1 6 7 59Aberdeen North candidate Ryan Houghton and Glasgow Central candidate Flora Scarabello were both suspended before the election but appeared on the ballot paper as Conservative candidates. 692,939 25.1 3.5 4 59 263,417 9.5 2.8 1 6 59Falkirk candidate Safia Ali was suspended before the election but appeared on ballot papers as a Labour candidate. 511,838 18.6 8.5 0 22 28,122 1.0 0.8 0 15 13,243 0.5 New 0 6 3,303 0.1 0.1 0 3,819 0.10.2 Turnout 2,759,061 68.11.7
2017
Party Seats Seats change Seats contested Votes Votes, of total (%) Change (%) 35 21 59 977,569 36.9 13.1 13 12 59 757,949 28.6 13.7 7 6 59* 717,007 27.1 2.8 4 3 59 179,061 6.8 0.7 0 3 5,886 0.2 1.1 0 10 5,302 0.2 1.4 0 6,921 0.3 Turnout 2,649,695 66.4 4.7
2015
At the 2015 election the SNP won a majority of Scottish seats for the first time.
Party Seats Seats change Seats, of total (%) Seats contested Votes Votes, of total (%) Change (%) 56 50 94.6 59 1,454,436 50.0 30.1 1 40 1.7 59* 707,147 24.3 17.7 1 0 1.7 59 434,097 14.9 1.8 1 10 1.7 59 219,675 7.5 11.3 0 0 41 47,078 1.6 0.9 0 0 32 39,205 1.3 0.7 0 0 37 8,827 0.3 0.5 Turnout 2,910,465 71.1 6.3
2010
Party Seats Seatschange Seats, of total (%) Candidates Votes % %change 41 69.4 59 1,035,528 42.0 2.5 11 18.6 59 465,471 18.9 3.7 6 10.16 59 491,386 19.9 2.3 1 1.69 59* 412,855 16.7 0.9 0 0 34 17,223 0.7 0.3 0 0 20 16,827 0.7 0.4 0 0 45 19,555 0.8 0.14 Turnout: 2,465,722 63.8 3.2
* Philip Lardner, the Conservative candidate for North Ayrshire and Arran was disowned by the Conservative Party for comments he posted on his website, calling homosexuality 'abnormal'. It was too late for him to be replaced and he still read as the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party candidate on the ballot paper.
2005
Party Seats Seatschange Seats,of total (%) Votes % %change 41 15 69.4 922,402 39.5 4.5 11 1 18.6 528,076 22.6 6.3 6 1 10.16 412,267 17.7 2.4 1 1.7 369,388 15.8 0.2 0 0 43,514 1.9 1.2 0 0 25,760 1.1 1.1 0 0 8,859 0.4 0.3 0 0 15,490 0.66 Turnout: 2,333,887 60.6 2.4
2001
Party Seats Seatschange Votes % %change 56 1,001,173 43.3 2.3 10 378,034 16.3 3.3 5 1 464,314 20.1 2.1 1 1 360,658 15.6 1.9 0 72,516 3.1 2.8 Turnout: 2,315,703 58.2 13.1
1997
Party Seats Seatschange Votes % %change 56 7 1,283,350 45.6 6.6 10 1 365,362 13.0 0.1 6 3 621,550 22.1 0.6 0 11 493,059 17.5 8.2 0 53,427 2.0 1.2 Turnout: 2,816,748 71.3 4.2
1992
Party Seats Seatschange Votes % %change 49 1 1,142,911 39.0 3.4 11 1 751,950 25.6 1.6 9 383,856 13.1 6.1 3 629,564 21.5 7.4 0 23,417 0.8 0.5 Turnout: 2,931,698 75.5 0.4
1987
Party Seats Seatschange Votes % %change 50 9 1,258,132 42.4 7.3 10 11 713,081 24.0 4.4 9 1 570,053 19.2 5.3 3 1 416,473 14.1 2.3 0 10,069 0.3 Turnout: 2,967,808 75.1 2.4
1983
Party Seats Seatschange Votes % %change 41 3 990,654 35.1 6.5 21 1 801,487 28.4 3.0 8 5Compared to the Liberals in 1979 692,634 24.5 15.5 2 331,975 11.8 5.5 0 7,830 0.3 0.2 Turnout: 2,824,580 72.7
1979
Party Seats Seatschange Votes % %change 44 3 1,211,455 41.5 5.2 22 6 916,155 31.4 6.7 2 9 504,259 17.3 13.1 3 262,224 9.0 0.7 0 13,737 0.5 New 0 2,881 0.1 0.1 Turnout: 2,916,637 76.84
October 1974
Party Seats Seatschange Votes % %change 41 1 1,000,581 36.3 0.3 16 5 681,327 24.7 8.2 11 4 839,617 30.4 8.5 3 228,855 8.3 0.4 0 7,453 0.3 0.2 0 86 0.0 New 0 182 0.0 0.1 Turnout: 2,758,101 74.81
February 1974
Party Seats Seatschange Votes % %change 40 4 1,057,601 36.6 7.9 21 2 950,668 32.9 5.1 7 6 633,180 21.9 10.5 3 229,162 7.9 2.4 0 15,071 0.5 0.1 0 1,393 0.1 0.1 Turnout: 2,887,075 78.86
1970
Party Seats Seatschange Votes % %change 44 2 1,197,068 44.5 5.4 23 3 1,020,674 38.0 0.4 1 1 306,802 11.4 6.4 3 2 147,667 5.5 1.3 0 11,408 0.4 0.2 0 4,616 0.2 0.2 Turnout: 2,688,235 73.91
1966
Party Seats Seatschange Votes % %change 46 3 1,273,916 49.9 1.2 20 4 960,675 37.6 3.0 5 1 172,447 6.8 0.8 0 128,474 5.0 2.6 0 16,230 0.6 0.1 0 638 0.0 0.2 Turnout: 2,552,380
1964
Party Seats Seats change Votes % % Change Labour Party 43 5 1,283,667 48.7 2.0 Unionist 24 1 981,641 37.3 2.5 National Liberal & Conservative 0 6 88,054 3.3 4.2 Liberal 4 3 200,063 7.6 3.5 SNP 0 64,044 2.4 1.6 Communist 0 12,241 0.5 0.0 Other 0 4,829 0.2 0.1 Total 71 2,634,539 100
1959
Party Seats Seats change Votes % % Change Labour Party 38 4 1,245,255 46.7 0.0 Unionist 25 5 1,060,609 39.8 1.7 National Liberal & Conservative 6 199,678 7.5 1.1 Liberal 1 108,963 4.1 2.1 Independent Unionist 1 1 12,163 0.5 New SNP 0 21,738 0.8 0.3 Communist 0 12,150 0.5 New Fife Socialist League 0 4,886 0.2 New Other 0 2,071 0.1 0.2 Total 71 2,667,513 100
1955
Party Seats Seats change Votes % % Change Unionist 30 1 1,056,209 41.5 1.6 National Liberal & Conservative 6 217,733 8.6 0.1 Labour Party 34 1 1,188,058 46.7 1.2 Liberal 1 47,273 1.9 0.8 Communist 0 13,195 0.5 0.1 SNP 0 12,112 0.5 0.2 Other 0 8,674 0.3 0.2 Total 71 2,543,254 100
1951