Scottish Parliament Elections

There are 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). If you live in Scotland, you are represented by eight MSPs - one represents your constituency and seven all represent your region.

For this election, voters will be issued with 2 ballot papers.

For the constituency MSP,  electors will vote on a lilac-coloured ballot paper and vote using an X in the box next to their choice of candidate. For the regional MSPs, electors will vote on a peach-coloured ballot paper for either a party or independent candidate competing for one of the seven regional seats by placing a X in the box next to their choice of party or individual candidate.

The Perth and Kinross Council Constituency Returning Officer is responsible for the administration of the elections in the following Scottish Parliament constituencies:

• Perthshire North
• Perthshire South and Kinross-shire

Both constituencies are in the Mid Scotland and Fife electoral region.

The Regional Returning Officer for Mid Scotland and Fife region is the Returning Officer at Fife Council.

The counting of votes cast will take place on Friday 8 May 2026.

Can I vote?

You can vote in the Scottish Parliamentary elections on Thursday 7 May 2026 if you're registered to vote and are:

• aged 16 years or over on polling day
• a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen living in the UK
• a qualifying foreign national who is living in Scotland and has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need such permission, including EU citizens

If your name is not on the register, you will not be able to vote.

How to register

Register to vote

Register to vote

The deadline to register to vote for the upcoming Scottish Parliament Elections is Monday 20 April 2026 (midnight).

If you are not already registered to vote please be aware that you will need to provide more details to register, which will make the electoral register more secure. You will need your date of birth and your national insurance number to hand.

The Electoral Register is updated and republished following the canvass each year, normally at 1 December. It is used for elections to the Scottish Parliament, UK Parliament (Westminster), local elections to appoint Councillors, at national referendums and in the election of Community Councils.

Not everyone whose name appears in the Register has the right to vote at all elections or referendum.

If you are in the British forces, living overseas, a student, have no fixed home or are unsure of your eligibility, view The Electoral Commission's 'Which elections you can vote in' webpage for more information on registering.

Postal and proxy voting

• Deadline for receiving new postal vote and postal proxy applications for the election on 7 May 2026, and for changes to existing postal or proxy votes is Tuesday 21 April 2026.
• Deadline for receiving new applications to vote by proxy (not postal proxy or emergency proxies) is 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026.
• Deadline for emergency proxy vote applications is 5pm on Thursday 7 May 2026.

The deadline to apply to vote by post is 5pm on Tuesday 21 April 2026. If you miss the deadline and are unable to vote in person on 7 May 2026, you can still choose to appoint a proxy, but must apply by 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026. If you are on the register, you can apply for a proxy vote online (GOV.UK).

Regulations require us to collect personal identifier information - your signature and date of birth. This is held securely and will be used at election times to compare against the signature and date of birth which has to be provided on a security statement returned with postal votes.

Poll letters

Poll letters will start to be sent to existing electors from Wednesday 18 March 2026 with subsequent issues thereafter.

If your name is on the register of electors and you are aged 16 years or over, you will get a poll letter. This will tell you where your polling place is and when it is open. The letter is for information only. Don't worry if you lose it or forget it - you can still vote without it. It just makes it easier if you take it to the polling place and show it to the clerk. If you do not receive a poll letter, this could mean that you are registered at an old address, not included on the electoral register or it has got lost in the post. If you contact the Electoral Registration Office by emailing Perth@tayside-vjb.gov.uk or telephone 01738 630303, they will be able to advise you of your registration status.

You do not need your poll letter to vote, you just need to give your name and address to the clerk when you go to your polling station, and they will issue you your ballot papers.

How to vote

Voting in person

To vote in person, you should go to the Polling Place listed on your polling letter. The clerk will give you your ballot papers to place a X against the constituency candidate of your choice on the lilac-coloured ballot paper and a X against the political party or independent candidate on the peach-coloured ballot paper. Place both ballot papers into the ballot boxes which will be labelled with respective coloured labels to match the colour of the ballot papers.

Voting by post

When you have been granted a postal vote your ballot papers will be sent to you by post, prior to the elections. Complete the ballot papers and postal voting statement and return as directed in the instructions included in your pack. You will be sent a postal voter poll letter confirming that you are registered as a postal voter and when your postal vote will be sent to you.

Postal votes will be dispatched in three separate issues:

• the first issue of postal votes for the Scottish Parliament Elections is scheduled for on or around 15 April 2026; anyone who applied for a postal vote up to Tuesday 24 March 2026 will be included in the first issue
• the second issue of postal votes will be on or around Friday 17 April 2026; anyone who applied for a postal vote between Wednesday 25 March 2026 and Friday 10 April 2026 will be included in this issue
• the final issue of postal votes will be on or around Monday 27 April 2026; anyone who applied for a postal vote between Monday 13 April 2026 and the deadline for new postal vote applications 5pm on Tuesday 21 April 2026 will be included in the final despatch

The last day for receipt of applications by the Electoral Registration Officer for the Scottish Parliament Elections is 5pm on Tuesday 21 April 2026.

Voting by proxy

If you are likely to be away during the election period, you may want to consider appointing a proxy for this election instead of applying for a postal vote as the Returning Officer cannot guarantee delivery before you go away.    

The last day for receipt of applications by the Electoral Registration Officer for the Scottish Parliament Elections is 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026.

Where to vote

Polling stations

You can only vote at the polling station which has your name on their register. Details of which polling station you should use will be displayed on your poll letter.

Poll letters will be sent to existing electors from Wednesday 18 March 2026, with subsequent issues thereafter.

Please ensure you check the poll letter sent to you for details of where you should go to vote in person, there may have been a change to your polling place.

Accessibility

Digital accessibility - view AbilityNet's simple 'how to' guides to make your device easier to use.

Everyone should be able to register and cast their vote without facing barriers. They should be able to vote on their own and in secret. The Elections Act 2022 introduces changes to further assist voters at polling stations.

Polling places will be open from 7am to 10pm. If there's a queue, you'll still be able vote as long as you joined it before 10pm.

What's new

Voters who require reasonable adjustments will be able to choose anyone who is aged 18 years or over to accompany them in the polling station to help them vote. 

You can also ask the person in charge of the polling station, known as the Presiding Officer to help you fill in your ballot paper. They are legally bound by the Requirement for Secrecy and your vote will remain secret.

We will also take all reasonable steps to support voters to improve the range and quality of support.

Accessing the polling station:

• all polling stations are visited and assessed in advance in terms of accessibility
• temporary ramps are put in place to support access for voters who use a wheelchair or have difficulty using steps
• where possible, polling stations are identified which have car parking provision so that voters who require reasonable adjustments may park as close as possible to the station
• service animals/assistance dogs are permitted

Information for voters

To help voters understand the voting process and how to mark their ballot paper, the following are provided at each polling station:

• a notice inside the polling station providing instructions on how to vote at the election
• a notice in each polling booth providing information on how to mark the ballot paper at the election
• large print sample copies of the ballot paper displayed inside the polling station to assist voters who are partially sighted and also voters who would like some time to look at the ballot paper before entering the polling booth
• an enlarged hand-held copy of the ballot paper; this can be given to voters who are partially sighted to take into the polling booth for reference when marking their ballot paper

Support within the polling station

Every polling station will have the following equipment and support in place:

• chair/seating for voters who cannot stand for long periods
• support aids like braille overlays, coloured overlays and oversized ballot papers
• magnifiers to increase the size of the text on a document
• additional lighting
• tactile voting device to support those visually impaired to mark their vote on the ballot paper in the correct place
• polling booth at wheelchair level to ensure voters who use a wheelchair are able to access a lower writing surface and cast their vote in secret in a booth that is accessible
• badges which clearly identify polling station staff who can assist
• pencil grips to help voters with dexterity impairments to more easily hold and use a pencil independently
• additional staff at entrances/exits at polling stations particularly where doors are required to remain shut - for example, fire doors

In addition to the above, the Returning Officer also allows voters who require reasonable adjustments to use any text-to-speech apps, torch or magnifier that they have on their phone, to assist them in reading their ballot paper.

Ask for additional support

If you would like to make a request before polling day for any additional support or make a request for reasonable adjustments not listed, please email the Election Office at Elections@pkc.gov.uk or call 01738 475004 to see if we can help.

Prospective candidates information

Nomination forms

The Scottish Parliament Elections will be held on Thursday 7 May 2026. For information on standing as a candidate please visit the The Electoral Commission's website where you will find a range of guidance and resources for candidates and agents.

If you wish to stand for election, you can download the nomination pack (PDF, 108 KB).

The Electoral Commission have produced a short video to assist you in completing nomination papers:

The Notice of Election will be published on Monday 16 March 2026. Nominations will be accepted by the Constituency Returning Officer between 10am and 4pm on any working day from Tuesday 17 March 2026. Candidates and agents are requested to contact the Election Office to make an appointment for the delivery of nomination papers. If you do not make an appointment, we cannot guarantee that someone will be available immediately to accept your papers.

Arrangements for deposits are detailed within the nomination pack.

The deadline for submission of nomination papers is 4pm on Wednesday 1 April 2026.

Accessibility

If you have any specific accessibility requirements, please contact the Election Office by emailing Elections@pkc.gov.uk or calling 01738 475004

Access to Elected Office Fund

Inclusion Scotland run an Access to Elected Office Fund that provides financial assistance to disabled candidates standing for election to help with the extra costs they may incur because of their disability. For more information about applying for funding, visit the Inclusion Scotland website.

Security guidance for candidates and agents

Police Scotland have provided a range of information for candidates that they need to be aware of in respect of personal security:

• Candidate-Security-Letter-2026 (PDF, 180 KB)
• My-Digital-Footprint-a-Guide-NPSA (PDF, 2 MB)
• Guidance-for-Election-Candidates-in-Scotland-2026 (PDF, 231 KB)
• The-Preparation-and-Use-of-Safer-Areas-to-Protect-High-Risk-Individuals-NPSA (PDF, 3 MB)
• The Blue Book - A Guide to Personal Security - NaCTSO (PDF, 1 MB)

Police Scotland will also be hosting a number of online briefing sessions between 9 February 2026 and 15 April 2026 and all candidates are encouraged to attend:

• Online-Candidate-Security-Briefing (PDF, 162 KB)

Please note that as these files have been supplied by a third party, we are unable to ensure they fully meet accessibility requirements, please contact us if you wish further information.

Notices

Information will be available here in due course.