Scottish Parliamentary election - Thursday 7 May 2026
A Scottish Parliamentary election to elect Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) is to be held on Thursday 7 May 2026 with voting taking place between 7am and 10pm.
There are four constituencies in the South Lanarkshire Council area:
- Clydesdale, East Kilbride and Hamilton Larkhall and Stonehouse constituencies are all contained within the South Scotland Region
- Rutherglen and Cambuslang constituency is contained within the Glasgow Region
For those residents in the constituency of Uddingston and Bellshill, this will be administered by North Lanarkshire Council.
Register to vote
Registered voters' poll cards will be sent out around Tuesday 17 March. For those registered after this date, poll cards will be sent out after Wednesday 8 April.
If you are already registered to vote and are on the electoral register in South Lanarkshire, you do not need to re-register.
To vote in this election, eligible voters must be aged 16 or over and must be registered to vote by midnight on Monday 20 April.
You can register to vote online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
For more information about how to register and the different ways of voting go to our Registering and voting page.
How can I vote if I am on holiday?
If you won't be able to get to the polling station on election day, and are already a registered voter, you can apply for a postal vote.
Will I need photo ID to vote at the election?
No, you will not need ID to vote in the Scottish Parliamentary election.
How does voting work?
On arrival at your polling station, or when you are issued with a postal voting pack, you will be given two ballot papers.
- Constituency ballot paper (lilac colour) – is to elect a person to be your Constituency Member
- Regional ballot paper (peach colour) – is to elect a Regional Member
On each of the ballot papers, put a cross (X) next to your preferred option. Put no other mark on the ballot papers, or your votes may not be counted.
More information and further instructions on how to vote will be issued to you on your poll card.
Completing your postal vote
Your postal vote pack contains important instructions on how to complete and return your postal vote.
Please read the instructions carefully and take the time to ensure all sections are complete before you return it. This is especially important for the postal voting statement. You may wish to ask a family member or friend to assist you with this part if you are unsure, but you must sign it yourself unless you have been granted a waiver.
On each of the ballot papers, put a cross (X) next to your preferred option. Put no other mark on the ballot papers, or your votes may not be counted.
If you make a mistake or need further help, please contact us. Our details can be found on Envelope A under the instructions for voting by post.
We would also recommend returning your completed postal vote as early as possible. We are expecting a high number of postal vote returns for this election.
From Friday 24 April, you can apply for a replacement postal vote where you have lost or spoilt your ballot paper(s).
Key dates for election
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Publication of notice of election | Monday 16 March |
| Nomination period and deadline for delivery of nomination papers |
between 10am to 4pm on any working weekday from Tuesday 17 March until Wednesday 1 April |
| Deadline for receiving applications for voter registration | Midnight on Monday 20 April |
| Deadline for receiving new postal vote and postal proxy applications, and for changes to existing postal or proxy votes | Tuesday 21 April (5pm) |
| Deadline for cancelling existing postal or proxy votes | Tuesday 21 April (5pm) |
| Deadline for receiving new applications to vote by proxy (not postal proxy or emergency proxies) |
Tuesday 28 April (5pm) |
| First date that electors can apply for a replacement for lost postal votes | Friday 24 April |
|
Polling day - 7am to 10pm
|
Thursday 7 May |
|
Last time that electors can apply for re-issue of spoilt or lost postal votes |
Thursday 7 May (5pm) |
| Deadline for emergency proxy applications | Thursday 7 May (5pm) |
| Last time to alter the register due to clerical error or court appeal | Thursday 7 May (9pm) |
| Count | Friday 8 May |
Where are the votes counted?
The votes will be verified and manually counted on Friday 8 May at the John Wright Sports Centre in East Kilbride.
- Constituency votes are counted using the First Past the Post (FPP) voting system.
- Regional votes are counted using a Proportional Representation (PR) voting system.
Interested in standing at this election?
A Pre-nomination awareness session to provide prospective constituency candidates with additional information will take place on Monday 16 March at 5pm in Committee Room 1, Council Headquarters, Almada Street, Hamilton, ML3 0AA and online via MS Teams. If you are interested in attending please email elections@southlanarkshire.gov.uk to request a meeting invitation.
If you wish to stand as a constituency candidate at this election email elections@southlanarkshire.gov.uk or phone 01698 455745 for a nomination pack.
Completed nomination papers, together with a deposit of £500 (pounds sterling, debit/credit card or banker's draft) must be lodged, by appointment, not later than 4pm on Wednesday 1 April between the hours of 10am and 4pm at the Election office.
Standing at the Regional election
For more information about standing at the regional election please visit the Electoral Commission’s website.
The Regional Returning Officer for the South Scotland Region is Dumfries and Galloway Council. The Regional Returning Officer for the Glasgow Region is Glasgow City Council.
Candidates and agents
Information and guidance for candidates and agents:
- Guidance for Scottish Parliament constituency candidates
- Guidance for Scottish Parliament regional individual candidates
- Guidance for Scottish Parliament party list nominating officers
Candidate security
Statutory notices and information
- Statutory notices and information relating to this election
- Boundary maps
- Previous Scottish Parliamentary election results
Useful websites
Contact us
- Electoral Registration Office - for information on registering to vote, postal and proxy voting arrangements
- Election Office - for information on election administration arrangements
Election Office
For information on election administration arrangements
Phone: 0303 123 1019Email: Election Office
Electoral Registration Office
For information on registering to vote, postal and proxy voting arrangements
Phone: 0800 030 4333Email: Electoral Registration Office