Scottish Parliament election, 2007

Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
MSP = Cathie Craigie
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = East Kilbride
MSP = Andy Kerr
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Falkirk East
MSP = Cathy Peattie
winner = Scottish Labour PartyElection box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Falkirk West
MSP = Michael Matheson
winner = Scottish National Party
loser = Independent (politican) Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Hamilton North and Bellshill
MSP = Michael McMahon
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Hamilton South
MSP = Tom McCabe
winner =Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Kilmarnock and Loudoun
MSP = Willie Coffey
winner = Scottish National Party
loser = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Motherwell and Wishaw
MSP = Jack McConnell
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box end Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish National Party
votes = 89,210
percentage = 31.4%
change = +8.8%
number = 5
numberchange= +2
elected = Alex Neil
Linda Fabiani
Jamie Hepburn
Christina McKelvie
John WilsonElection box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Conservative Party
votes = 24,253
percentage = 8.5%
change = −0.6%
number = 1
numberchange= ±0
elected = Margaret Mitchell Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Liberal Democrats
votes = 14,648
percentage = 5.2%
change = −0.7%
number = 1
numberchange= ±0
elected = Hugh O'Donnell Election box end

Glasgow

Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Glasgow Anniesland
MSP = Bill Butler
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Glasgow Baillieston
MSP = Margaret Curran
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Glasgow Cathcart
MSP = Charles Gordon
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Glasgow Govan
MSP = Nicola Sturgeon
winner = Scottish National Party
loser = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Glasgow Kelvin
MSP = Pauline McNeill
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Glasgow Maryhill
MSP = Patricia Ferguson
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Glasgow Pollok
MSP = Johann Lamont
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Glasgow Rutherglen
MSP = James Kelly
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Glasgow Shettleston
MSP = Frank McAveety
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Glasgow Springburn
MSP = Paul Martin
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish National Party
votes = 55,832
percentage = 27%
change = +9.9%
number = 4
numberchange= +2
elected = Bashir Ahmad
Sandra White
Bob Doris
Bill Kidd Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Liberal Democrats
votes = 14,767
percentage = 7.2%
change = −0.1%
number = 1
numberchange= ±0
elected = Robert BrownElection box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Conservative Party
votes = 13,751
percentage = 6.7%
change = −0.8%
number = 1
numberchange= ±0
elected = Bill Aitken Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Green Party
votes = 10,759
percentage = 5.2%
change = −1.9%
number = 1
numberchange= ±0
elected = Patrick Harvie

Highlands and Islands

Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Argyll and Bute
MSP = Jim Mather
winner = Scottish National Party
loser = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
MSP = Jamie Stone
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
MSP = Fergus Ewing
winner = Scottish National Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Moray
MSP = Richard Lochhead
winner = Scottish National Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Orkney
MSP = Liam McArthur
winner =Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Ross, Skye and Inverness West
MSP = John Farquhar Munro
winner =Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Shetland
MSP = Tavish Scott
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Western Isles
MSP = Alasdair Allan
winner = Scottish National Party
loser = Scottish Labour Party Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish National Party
votes = 63,979
percentage = 34.4%
change = +11.0
number = 2
numberchange= ±0
elected = Rob Gibson
David Thompson Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
votes = 32,952
percentage = 17.7%
change = −4.6
number = 3
numberchange= +1
elected = Peter Peacock
Rhoda Grant
David Stewart Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Conservative Party
votes = 23,334
percentage = 12.6%
change = −3.4
number = 2
numberchange= ±0
elected = Mary Scanlon
Jamie McGrigor

Lothians

Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Edinburgh Central
MSP = Sarah Boyack
winner =Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
MSP = Kenny MacAskill
winner = Scottish National Party
loser = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Edinburgh North and Leith
MSP = Malcolm Chisholm
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Edinburgh Pentlands
MSP = David McLetchie
winner = Scottish Conservative Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Edinburgh South
MSP = Mike Pringle
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Edinburgh West
MSP = Margaret Smith
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Linlithgow
MSP = Mary Mulligan
winner =Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Livingston
MSP = Angela Constance
winner = Scottish National Party
loser = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Midlothian
MSP = Rhona Brankin
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish National Party
votes = 76,019
percentage = 26.5%
change = +10.2
number = 3
numberchange= +1
elected = Fiona Hyslop
Ian McKee
Stefan Tymkewycz Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
votes = 75,495
percentage = 26.3%
change = +0.8
number = 1
numberchange= +1
elected = George Foulkes Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Conservative Party
votes = 37,548
percentage = 13.1%
change = −2.0
number = 1
numberchange= ±0
elected = Gavin Brown Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Green Party
votes = 20,147
percentage = 7.0%
change = −5.0
number = 1
numberchange= −1
elected = Robin Harper Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Independent (politician)
votes = 19,256
percentage = 6.7%
change = −3.5
number = 1
numberchange= ±0
elected = Margo MacDonald

Mid Scotland and Fife

Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Dunfermline East
MSP = Helen Eadie
winner =Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Dunfermline West
MSP = Jim Tolson
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats
loser =Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Fife Central
MSP = Tricia Marwick
winner = Scottish National Party
loser = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Fife North East
MSP = Iain Smith
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Kirkcaldy
MSP = Marilyn Livingstone
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = North Tayside
MSP = John Swinney
winner = Scottish National Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Ochil
MSP = Keith Brown
winner = Scottish National Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Perth
MSP = Roseanna Cunningham
winner = Scottish National Party Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Stirling
MSP = Bruce Crawford
winner = Scottish National Party
loser = Scottish Labour Party Election box end Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish National Party
votes = 90,090
percentage = 33.0%
change = +10%
number = 1
numberchange= −1
elected = Chris HarvieElection box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
votes = 71,922
percentage = 26.3%
change = +1.0%
number = 3
numberchange= +3
elected = John Park
Claire Brennan-Baker
Richard SimpsonElection box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Conservative Party
votes = 44,341
percentage = 16.2%
change = −1.3%
number = 3
numberchange= ±0
elected = Murdo Fraser
Elizabeth Smith
Ted Brocklebank Election box end

North East Scotland

Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Aberdeen Central
MSP = Lewis Macdonald
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Aberdeen North
MSP = Brian Adam
winner = Scottish National Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Aberdeen South
MSP = Nicol Stephen
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Angus
MSP = Andrew Welsh
winner = Scottish National Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Banff and Buchan
MSP = Stewart Stevenson
winner = Scottish National Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Dundee East
MSP = Shona Robison
winner = Scottish National Party Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Dundee West
MSP = Joe Fitzpatrick
winner = Scottish National Party
loser = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Gordon
MSP = Alex Salmond
winner = Scottish National Party
loser = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
MSP = Mike Rumbles
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box endElection box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish National Party
votes = 105,265
percentage = 40.5%
change = +13.2%
number = 2
numberchange= +1
elected = Maureen Watt
Nigel Don Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
votes = 52,125
percentage = 20.0%
change = −0.1%
number = 2
numberchange= ±0
elected = Richard Baker
Marlyn Glen Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Conservative Party
votes = 37,666
percentage = 14.5%
change = -2.9%
number = 2
numberchange= −1
elected = Alex Johnstone
Nanette Milne Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Liberal Democrats
votes = 40,934
percentage = 15.7%
change = −3.1%
number = 1
numberchange= +1
elected = Alison McInnes Election box end

South of Scotland

Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Ayr
MSP = John Scott
winner = Scottish Conservative Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
MSP = Cathy Jamieson
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Clydesdale
MSP = Karen Gillon
winner =Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Cunninghame South
MSP = Irene Oldfather
winner =Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Dumfries
MSP = Elaine Murray
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = East Lothian
MSP = Iain Gray
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
MSP = Alex Fergusson
winner = Scottish Conservative Party Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Roxburgh and Berwickshire
MSP = John Lamont
winner = Scottish Conservative Party
loser = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
MSP = Jeremy Purvis
winner =Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box end Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish National Party
votes = 77,053
percentage = 27.8%
change = +9.4%
number = 5
numberchange= +2
elected = Christine Grahame
Michael Russell
Adam Ingram
Alasdair Morgan
Aileen CampbellElection box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Conservative Party
votes = 62,475
percentage = 22.6%
change = −1.7%
number = 1
numberchange= −1
elected = Derek Brownlee Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Liberal Democrats
votes = 28,040
percentage = 10.1%
change = −0.1%
number = 1
numberchange= +1
elected = Jim Hume Election box end

West of Scotland

Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Clydebank and Milngavie
MSP = Des McNulty
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Cunninghame North
MSP = Kenneth Gibson
winner = Scottish National Party
loser = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Dumbarton
MSP = Jackie Baillie
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Eastwood
MSP = Kenneth Macintosh
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Greenock and Inverclyde
MSP = Duncan McNeil
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Paisley North
MSP = Wendy Alexander
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Paisley South
MSP = Hugh Henry
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Strathkelvin and Bearsden
MSP = David Whitton
winner = Labour Party (UK)
loser = Independent (politician) Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = West Renfrewshire
MSP = Patricia Godman
winner = Scottish Labour Party Election box end Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish National Party
votes = 75,953
percentage = 28.3%
change = +8.7%
number = 4
numberchange= +1
elected = Stewart Maxwell
Gil Paterson
Bill Wilson
Stuart McMillanElection box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Conservative Party
votes = 40,637
percentage = 15.2%
change = −0.5%
number = 2
numberchange= ±0
elected = Annabel Goldie
Jackson Carlaw Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Liberal Democrats
votes = 22,515
percentage = 8.4%
change = −3.9%
number = 1
numberchange= ±0
elected = Ross Finnie

Election box end

Incidents

Delayed counts

Some counts in the Western Isles (Barra & the Uists) were delayed because the chartered helicopter sent to pick up the ballot boxes was delayed by bad weather. The boxes were instead transferred by sea and road to be counted in Stornoway. The votes were announced around 12.00 on Friday May 4.

Vandalism

A man smashed ballot boxes with a golf club at a polling station at Carrick Knowe in Corstorphine in Edinburgh. About 100 ballots were damaged, some having to be taped back together. The man was arrested on the scene. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6622105.stm Polling clerk tells of 'bedlam'] , BBC News website, 2007-05-03]

High number of rejected votes

The number of 'invalid' ballot papers has increased dramatically from previous elections, and the BBC reported that almost 142,000 (or 7% of the total votes cast) were rejected. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6637387.stm Rejected ballots '7% of the vote'] , BBC News website, 2007-05-09] The Herald reports that this includes both constituency and regional votes, and hence the number of individual voters is likely to be considerably less. Nevertheless there have been calls for an independent enquiry into the implementation of the new voting system. The BBC Scotland Chief Political Editor, Brian Taylor, described the situation as "a disgrace" during their Election Night coverage. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6622379.stm Elections marred by vote problems] , BBC News website, 2007-05-03]

Almost certainly the biggest reason for the increase in invalid ballots was that in the vote for the parliament, the ballot papers for the constituency elections were combined with that for the regional lists. A large-type instruction at the top indicated "you have two votes." Being told that they had two votes, far too many voters used both votes on parties in the regional list. [ [http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=701122007 The Scotsman] ] This misleading ballot was made more complicated by two additional features of the balloting: several small parties like the Green Party ran one or fewer candidates in the constituency seats and parties were able to choose to put the name of their leader in the party label for the list seats. Such poor ballot design decisions contributed to a similarly higher rate of spoiled ballots in the 2000 United States presidential election in areas of Florida such as Miami-Dade and Duval counties.

Another reason presented is that voters were given two papers with two different systems and a different design - one for the parliamentary election where voters marked a cross and one for local councils where they placed numbers as the council elections were being done under the single transferable vote system. Undercutting this theory, however, is the fact that the invalid rate in the local elections was far lower despite being the single transferable vote being a new system for most voters.

A third proposed reason has been that this was the first election where electronic counting of papers has taken place. Many blame e-counting for the increase in rejected papers, in part because the new machine counting did not go smoothly, with many counts abandoned during the early hours of Friday morning before all results had been counted. The main company concerned has been DRS Ltd. [http://www.drs.co.uk/] Nevertheless nearly all invalid ballots would have been spoiled no matter how they were counted. However, the last minute redesign of ballot papers that is blamed for the high number of rejections in two electoral regions was done to make electronic voting easier. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6656181.stm]

Threatened legal actions

On 5 May 2007, the BBC reported that Labour were considering legal action against some results (particularly Cunninghame North, where the SNP beat Labour by just 48 votes) due to the high number of rejected votes. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6629093.stm|title=Labour may challenge Scots vote, "BBC News"|accessdate=2007-05-07] . A further challenge was expected from Mike Dailly from the Govan Law Centre, a member of the Labour Party, purportedly on behalf of voters in the Glasgow region. He said that the result should be challenged because there were 10,000 rejected ballots which could have caused a different result if they had counted. Tommy Sheridan of Solidarity was only 2215 votes short of beating the Greens for the last place as an MSP. [cite web|url=http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6629093.stm|title=Holyrood vote may face challenges, "BBC News"|accessdate=2007-05-07]

There were no election petitions raised to challenge the results.

Party leaders

Major parties

At time of dissolution of the Scottish Parliament at midnight on Monday 2 April 2007, there were five party 'groups' represented on the Parliament's Bureau: Labour (50), SNP (25), Conservative (17), LibDem (17), and the Greens (7). There was also one 'mixed' administrative grouping of 5 independent MSPs and 1 Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party MSP.

Conservative targets

Liberal Democrat targets

MSPs who retired at the general election

Labour

*Susan Deacon, Edinburgh East and Musselburgh [http://www.alba.org.uk/scot07/retiring.html]
*John Home Robertson, East Lothian [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6136904.stm]
*Janis Hughes, Glasgow Rutherglen [http://election.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=2248382005]
*Kate Maclean, Dundee West [http://www.alba.org.uk/scot07/retiring.html]
*Maureen MacMillan, Highlands and Islands list [http://www.alba.org.uk/scot07/retiring.html]

cottish National Party

*Bruce McFee, West of Scotland list [http://www.alba.org.uk/scot07/retiring.html]
*George Reid, Ochil [http://www.alba.org.uk/scot07/retiring.html]

Conservative

*Phil Gallie, South of Scotland list [http://www.alba.org.uk/scot07/retiring.html]
*James Douglas-Hamilton, Lothians list [http://www.alba.org.uk/scot07/retiring.html]

Liberal Democrats

*Donald Gorrie, Central Scotland list [http://election.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=2248382005]
*Jim Wallace, Orkney [http://election.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=2248382005]

cottish Socialist Party

*Frances Curran, West of Scotland list [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6512689.stm]

Independents

*Dennis Canavan, Falkirk West [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/tayside_and_central/6289637.stm]
*Brian Monteith (elected as a Conservative), Mid Scotland and Fife list [http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=1091&id=1616472006]

ee also

*Elections in Scotland
*National Assembly for Wales election and United Kingdom local elections, 2007, which took place on the same day

References

External links

* [http://www.holyrood2007.net/ Holyrood 2007] , by e-Democracy Centre, Faculty of Law, University of Geneva, with support from the University of Edinburgh
* [http://www.scotlandvotes.com ScotlandVotes] , by Weber Shandwick Public Affairs and "Scotland on Sunday"
* [http://www.alba.org.uk/ Scottish Politics] , by Alba Publishing
* [http://www.ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/scottish-voting-intention/ Scottish Voting Intention] , by UKPollingReport, in association with YouGov
* [http://www.votescotland.com/stv/CCC_FirstPage.jsp VoteScotland] , a Scottish Executive and Electoral Commission website
* [http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/article.php?id=31 Electoral Reform Society - Scotland]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/scotland/default.stm Scottish elections 2007] , at the BBC News website
* [http://www.theherald.co.uk/elections2007/ Election 2007] , at "The Herald"
* [http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=757 Holyrood Elections] , at "The Scotsman"
* [http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=1572 Election Supplement 2007]
* [http://gswing.sourceforge.net/scotland/ Scottish Elections Between 1997 and present]