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Polls close in 2026 Scottish Parliament election

PA Media Black ballot box with white writing on it. It is locked with cable ties and there are papers on top of it and a calculator in front.PA Media
The vote count will not begin until Friday morning

The polls have closed in the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.

Ballot boxes were shut at 22:00, having opened at 07:00 on Thursday for those who had not already submitted a postal vote.

According to the Electoral Commission, which oversees the election, a total of 4,320,981 people were registered to vote - a record for a Scottish Parliament election.

The first results will not be announced until Friday afternoon, with no overnight count.

About a fifth of the registered electorate voted by postal ballot prior to the polls opening.

A total of 129 MSPs will be elected, but some of the constituencies have changed since the last election in 2021.

No overnight counting

Traditionally, election counting started immediately after the polls closed. But this changed in 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Announcing that the count at this year's vote would not start until 09:00 on Friday, the Electoral Management Board for Scotland said the measure would reduce costs and increase public engagement.

About one in five members of the Scottish electorate are registered for a postal vote, meaning they had the chance to cast their ballot ahead of polling day.

Of the 129 MSPs, 73 will represent local areas known as constituencies. The rest will represent larger regions, which together cover the whole of Scotland.

How can I follow the Scottish election results?

How you can follow the election on BBC Scotland

You can follow the results on multiple BBC platforms.

The BBC Scotland news website will run a dedicated live page from 06:00 on Friday until at least 22:00, featuring the latest results and analysis.

A live results programme will be broadcast on BBC One Scotland and the BBC Scotland channel from 09:30 on Friday, followed by an hour-long Reporting Scotland Election Special from 18:30.

The results programme will be simulcast on BBC Radio Scotland from 10:00 to 13:00, and from 13:30 to 18:00.

When might your result be declared?

Getty Images A woman leans over a table where a large pile of ballot papers are being pourer from a black box. The woman, wearing a pink hooded jumper, is in a large hall with counting desks and an empty stand of orange seats in the background.Getty Images

Friday's estimated declaration times for Holyrood's 73 constituency seats and the eight regions have been produced by the Press Association news agency. Their accuracy could be affected by issues like levels of turnout, recounts, or delays in verifying and counting ballots.

  • Times listed alphabetically by area.

CONSTITUENCIES

Aberdeen Central (15:30)

Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine (15:30)

Aberdeen Donside (15:30)

Aberdeenshire East (15:30)

Aberdeenshire West (15:30)

Airdrie (12:00)

Almond Valley (14:00)

Angus North and Mearns (16:00)

Angus South (16:00)

Argyll and Bute (15:00)

Ayr (13:00)

Banffshire and Buchan Coast (15:30)

Bathgate (14:00)

Caithness, Sutherland and Ross (16:00)

Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (16:00)

Clackmannanshire and Dunblane (16:00)

Clydebank and Milngavie (17:00)

Clydesdale (16:00)

Coatbridge and Chryston (13:00)

Cowdenbeath (15:00)

Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (14:00)

Cunninghame North (14:30)

Cunninghame South (14:30)

Dumbarton (17:00)

Dumfriesshire (15:30)

Dundee City East (16:00)

Dundee City West (16:00)

Dunfermline (16:00)

East Kilbride (16:00)

East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs (15:00)

Eastwood (16:00)

Edinburgh Central (15:00)

Edinburgh Eastern, Musselburgh and Tranent (15:00)

Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith (15:00)

Edinburgh Northern (15:00)

Edinburgh North Western (15:00)

Edinburgh Southern (15:00)

Edinburgh South Western (15:00)

Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire (16:30)

Falkirk East and Linlithgow (16:30)

Falkirk West (16:00)

Fife North East (15:00)

Galloway and Dumfries West (15:30)

Glasgow Anniesland (14:15)

Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston (14:45)

Glasgow Cathcart and Pollok (15:45)

Glasgow Central (15:00)

Glasgow Easterhouse and Springburn (14:30)

Glasgow Kelvin & Maryhill (15:30)

Glasgow Southside (15:15)

Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse (16:00)

Inverclyde (16:30)

Inverness and Nairn (18:30)

Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley (16:00)

Kirkcaldy (15:00)

Mid Fife and Glenrothes (15:00)

Midlothian North (16:00)

Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale (16:30)

Moray (14:00)

Motherwell and Wishaw (15:00)

Na h-Eileanan an Iar (13:30)

Orkney Islands (14:30)

Paisley (15:00)

Perthshire North (14:00)

Perthshire South and Kinross-shire (14:00)

Renfrewshire North and Cardonald (15:00)

Renfrewshire West and Levern Valley (15:00)

Rutherglen and Cambuslang (16:00)

Shetland Islands (14:30)

Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch (18:30)

Stirling (16:00)

Strathkelvin and Bearsden (14:00)

Uddingston and Bellshill (16:00)

REGIONS

Edinburgh and Lothians East (18:00)

Glasgow (16:15)

Highlands and Islands (19:00)

Central Scotland and Lothians West (17:00)

Mid Scotland and Fife (17:30)

North East Scotland (15:30)

South Scotland (16:00)

West Scotland (16:00)

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