Scottish election votes won't be counted until next day

Votes cast in the 2026 Scottish Parliament election will be counted the day after polls close rather than overnight.

The board issued a set of directions for the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections on Wednesday, confirming that votes will be counted on Friday, May 8, 2026.

Electoral Management Board for Scotland (EMB) convener Malcolm Burr said: “Counting during the day allows the use of well-rested staff with quick access to more resources, people and support facilities.

“Our Counts are always accurate but working in the day removes some risks, reduces costs and lets us declare the results when more people are engaged.”

Daytime counts are standard for local government elections in Scotland, and according to the EMB, there was a daytime count at the last Scottish Parliament election in May 2021.

Mr Burr said it will “add resilience to a complex process”.

The EMB said election Returning Officers and Electoral Registration Officers in Scotland have a history of delivering results in which voters, candidates and our institutions can have “full confidence”.

“The Directions I make today, with the full support of ROs and EROs, will protect that reputation, promoting resilience and giving clarity to voters and candidates across the Scotland about how the election processes will be run,” Mr Burr added.

Other Directions, to give consistency to the electoral process, cover the colour of the ballot papers, the use of an official security mark, the dates when poll cards and postal votes are issued and the way papers should be numbered.

The proposed timing has been discussed with political parties, MSPs and at the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee of the Scottish Parliament at their meeting in September.

Scottish Parliament elections are the most complex electoral events in Scotland, according to the EMB.

In 2021, there were over four million registered electors, more than one million of whom had a postal vote, each using two ballot papers to choose representatives for a local constituency and their region.