Argyll and Bute elects first female MSP
After a Covid-influenced campaign, vote and election count the like of which we have never before seen, Islay’s Jenni Minto, SNP, was declared the winner for the Argyll and Bute constituency.
The first female MSP to represent the area secured almost 9,000 votes more than her nearest rival amid a record-breaking turnout of 67.8 per cent of the Argyll and Bute electorate.
Vote verification and counting began promptly at 9am on Friday May 7, but not before ballot boxes had been delivered from polling stations in every corner of Argyll and Bute, with island boxes arriving by helicopter.
The voting process itself was different this year to take account of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A greater proportion of postal votes was witnessed and for those who voted in person safety was a priority.
Separate doors to enter and leave the polling place, one-way systems, single-use pencils and, of course, social distancing and face coverings were some of the changes voters witnessed.
Extra council staff were on hand at busier polling stations, while election personnel were behind PPE screens.
At the count in Lochgilphead Joint Campus, social distancing rules were observed by splitting tables between the gymnasium and the sports hall and having just four counters per table.
Gone were the large number of observers from each party and local media. Strictly limited numbers were allowed into the count.
The counters themselves were fenced off with large, clear plastic screens – watching them in action was likened to visiting an aquarium.
At previous counts the sound of the crowd usually bounces off the gymnasium walls, but on Friday it was down to a murmur.
The buzz may have been absent, but the day was not without drama – and a buzz of a different kind.
At 3.37pm, while the count was in full swing, a fire alarm was triggered and count staff evacuated while they waited for firefighters to attend. Observers were placed at each door to ‘maintain the integrity of the vote’ while everyone was out.
The all-clear was given and at 4.10pm staff were allowed back into the building to resume the count.
Returning officer for Argyll and Bute Pippa Milne announced the result shortly after 5pm.
Ms Milne commented: ‘Organising an election in Argyll and Bute is a fantastic example of teamwork. Getting ballot boxes to and from our communities by road, sea and air, running 105 polling places, managing postal votes, counting everyone’s votes and developing Covid-safe ways of doing all this – a huge amount of effort has gone into making this election possible.
‘Thank you to everyone who has played a part.’