Voting in the 2026 Scottish Parliament Election
Date: 24 March 2026
Time: 09:25 AM
The countdown to the Scottish Parliamentary Election is now on.
The election will be held on Thursday, 7 May 2026.
The Scottish Parliament has 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). If you live in Orkney, you are represented by eight MSPs:
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One Constituency MSP for the Orkney Islands Constituency
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Seven MSPs for the wider Highlands and Islands Region.
For prospective candidates wishing to stand in the election, nomination papers can be submitted at the Council Offices, School Place, Kirkwall by no later than 16:00 on Wednesday 1 April. This can be done between 10:00 and 13:00 and from 14:00 to 16:00 on any working day. To make an appointment to obtain or submit papers, contact the Election Team on 01856 886350 or by emailing electionoffice@orkney.gov.uk. Completed nomination papers also require a £500 deposit.
Over the coming days, over 17,800 poll cards will be posted and delivered through the letterboxes of registered voters across Orkney.
At this election, poll cards will be slightly different – they will be in the form of a letter inside an envelope instead of the traditional card.
The key dates to remember in the run up to 7 May are:
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The deadline for registering to vote is Monday 20 April;
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For those wishing to apply for or make changes to a postal vote is Tuesday 21 April at 17:00
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For those wishing to appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf the deadline date is Tuesday 28 April at 17:00.
If you’re registered to vote, you can download an application form for a postal vote at http://www.orkney-shetland-vjb.co.uk.
Once completed, the form can be posted to the Electoral Registration Office, 8 Broad Street, Kirkwall KW15 1NX, or a scanned copy can be sent by email to ero@orkney.gov.uk
Alternatively, phone our local Electoral Registration Office on 01856 876222 or email ero@orkney.gov.uk to request an application form.
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Category:
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