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An election will be held on 7 May 2026 to elect Members of Scottish Parliament (MSPs) to the Scottish Parliament.

Notice of Election was published on Monday 16 March. Nominations open on Tuesday 17 March and close on Wednesday 1 April at 4pm.

You can find out further details by emailing elections@edinburgh.gov.uk.

The Scottish Parliament and ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Constituencies

There are currently 129 elected members in the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, of which 73 are constituency members and 56 are Regional  members.

Scottish Parliamentary Elections use the Additional Member System where each voter has two votes. One of these elects a constituency MSP using the first past the post system, and the other elects regional representatives from a list of political parties and individual candidates.

Everyone in Scotland is represented by 8 MSPs

• 1 for their constituency (for example, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Southern, Midlothian North and East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs)
• 7 for the larger region in which they live (for example, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ and Lothians East)

There are currently 6 Parliamentary Constituencies in the City of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Council area.

You can currently vote to return a constituency MSP for

• ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Central
• ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ North Eastern and Leith
• ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ North Western
• ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Northern
• ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ South Western
• ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Southern

and Regional MSPs for the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ and Lothians EastRegion.

The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ and Lothians East Region includes

• East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs
• ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Central
• ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Eastern, Musselburgh and Tranent
• ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ North Eastern and Leith
• ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ North Western
• ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Northern
• ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ South Western
• ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Southern
• Midlothian North

Paul Lawrence is the Returning Officer for the 6 ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ constituencies and is the Regional Returning Officer for the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ and Lothians East Region.

The next election will be held on Thursday 7 May 2026.

View previous election results

Email elections@edinburgh.gov.uk. 

Download election privacy statements (PDFs)