Soaring turnout ‘a really positive thing for Scottish democracy’

Turnout looks set to smash that of the previous Holyrood election, with some areas reporting an increase of more than 10 per cent.

Constituencies are beginning to post their turnout figures, with most reporting increased numbers of voters compared with the last election in 2016 and some seeing figures above 70 per cent of the electorate.

Poor weather conditions on Thursday, with snow in some northern parts of Scotland, had raised questions over whether turnout would be affected.

However, some areas reported voters queuing – due to social distancing requirements inside polling stations

– after polls officially closed at 10pm last night. Anyone already in a queue by 10pm is allowed to cast their vote.

Turnout in Edinburgh Southern was 71.11 per cent and Edinburgh Western 71.46 per cent. In Edinburgh Central, however – where the SNP took the seat back from the Scottish Conservatives following the departure of former leader Ruth Davidson – the figure was lower at just 62 per cent.

Glasgow constituencies also saw big increases in the number of people who voted. In Glasgow Southside, where SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar went head to head, turnout rose to 59.7 per cent from 48 per cent in 2016.

The number of postal votes registered before the election was also at a record high as more people opted to avoid polling stations amid the pandemic. The Electoral Commission announced last month that nearly a quarter of the Scottish electorate – moer than a million people – registered to cast their vote by post.

Emily Gray, managing director of polling firm Ipsos Mori Scotland, said: “The pandemic may well have played a role in driving the increased turnout we’re seeing. During the pandemic,decisionstakenday-today in Edinburgh have been more visible to people in Scotland than ever before.”

Nicola Mcewen, professor of territorial politics at Edinburgh University, said: “They’re really impressive [figures]. It is the consistent pattern that we’re seeing – turnout is up. And that’s I think a really positive thing for for Scottish democracy.”