iStockThe polls for two by-elections on Scotland’s east coast have now closed.
The contests in Aberdeen South and Arbroath and Broughty Ferry were set off after former SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn stood down last month after being elected as an MSP, with Stephen Gethins doing the same.
The votes coincide with the Makerfield by-election in Greater Manchester. The by-election was triggered after Josh Simons decided to quit his MP role.
The law does not allow people to hold seats in the Parliament and in the House of Commons simultaneously.
Aberdeen South
The SNP will be looking to keep the seat in Aberdeen South as the debate over the future of oil and gas production in the city looms large.
The campaign became a battle over the future of oil and gas, with the Conservatives, Reform and the SNP vying to persuade those who live in the ‘energy capital of Europe’, that they support the industry the most.
Former MP Richard Thomson is running for the SNP, while the Tory candidate is MSP Douglas Lumsden and Reform’s is Jo Hart.
Other candidates in the by-election are: Jorg Shelton Eckstein of the Scottish Greens, Scottish Liberal Democrat Mel Sullivan, Labour’s Nurul Hoque Ali, and David Ballantine of the Alliance for Democracy and Freedom.
| Nurul Hoque Ali |  | Labour |
| David Ballantine |  | Alliance for Democracy & Freedom |
| Jo Hart |  | Reform UK |
| Douglas Lumsden |  | Conservative |
| Jorg Shelton-Eckstein |  | Green |
| Mel Sullivan |  | Liberal Democrats |
| Richard Thomson |  | SNP |
Arbroath and Broughty Ferry
The Arbroath and Broughty Ferry contest has been focused on the cost of living, according to those running in the seat.
Last time around, Gethins took the SNP seat with a majority of around 900 votes.
Lawyer and party adviser Lara Bird is contesting the constituency for the SNP, against Reform’s Bill Reid and local Labour councillor Heather Doran.
Jack Cruickshanks of the Scottish Tories and Tanvir Ahmad of the Liberal Democrats are also running.
| Tanvir Ahmad | | Liberal Democrats |
| Lara Bird | | SNP |
| Jack Cruickshanks | | Conservative |
| Heather Doran | | Labour |
| Bill Reid | | Reform UK |
Polling stations opened at 7am and closed at 10pm.
Unlike the recent Holyrood election, ballots to be counted overnight with the results expected early on Friday morning.
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