Live / Scottish Parliament election count live
We are reporting live from the Shetland election count at the Clickimin
WELCOME to Shetland News’ live coverage as votes for the Shetland constituency in the Scottish Parliament election are counted to decide who will be the isles’ next MSP.
We are reporting from the Clickimin Leisure Complex in Lerwick, with the first ballot box expected to be opened at around 9am before a result is announced in the afternoon.
There are eight candidates vying for the Shetland seat at Holyrood, which was previously held by the outgoing Lib Dem MSP Beatrice Wishart, with the public casting their votes yesterday.
They are, in alphabetical order: Alex Armitage (Greens), Douglas Barnett (Conservatives), Vic Currie (Reform UK), John Erskine (Labour), Hannah Mary Goodlad (SNP), Emma Macdonald (Liberal Democrats), Brian Nugent (Alliance to Liberate Scotland), Peter Tait (independent).
Shetland’s votes for the regional list – the peach ballot paper which featured parties or independents – will also be counted, but identity of the seven elected Highlands and Islands MSPs will only be known at a later time.
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During the election campaign, which began last year, Shetland News run a series of features on each candidate – joining them on the campaign trial where possible.
If you’re still needing an election fix, the pieces can be read here:
In case you haven’t seen, over on our Facebook page we’ve shared this video of the count beginning.
The first box was from the Aith Public Hall, and as you can see it was the lilac ballots – the constituency vote – which is being counted on the tables closest to us.
The tables furthest away from us are counting the orange ballot papers, the regional list votes.
Good morning everyone, we’re here at the Clickimin Leisure Complex for the 2026 Scottish Parliamentary election count.
Returning officer Jan Riise has just given his opening statement, with a result expected at around 2.30pm.
Riise thanked all the candidates for standing for the Shetland seat, joking that without them we would not have been in the Clickimin at this time of morning.
Candidates will be allowed to go and observe the election count as it takes place, but journalists and guests can only watch from a short distance away – and no photography or videos of the count papers are allowed.
With that said, we will shortly have a video of the first ballot box being emptied onto the count table as the counting begins.
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