Issued on behalf of the Constituency and Regional Returning Officer for Highland
As postal packs start to be dispatched for the Scottish Parliament Election from today, Wednesday 15 April, postal voters are being reminded to make sure they return them in time. They are also advised to read the instructions carefully when completing their pack to ensure their vote counts.
Packs will be issued in 3 stages. The two other dispatch dates for postal packs are: Friday 17 April and Monday 27 April 2026.
There is still time to apply to vote by post or to apply for a proxy, which is to appoint someone to vote on your behalf. The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Tuesday 21 April. The deadline to apply for a proxy is 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026.
The pack will include two separate ballot papers.
Highland Local Constituencies
For the 3 Highland Constituencies of Caithness, Sutherland and Ross; Inverness and Nairn; Skye, Lochaber, Badenoch voters will receive a lilac-coloured ballot paper. On this ballot paper you vote for a candidate to represent your constituency. To vote, mark a cross (X) in the box opposite the name of one candidate.
Highlands and Islands Regional List
As well as returning a Member of the Scottish Parliament in their constituency, voters will be asked to complete a peach-coloured ballot paper. On this ballot paper you vote for a party or independent candidate to represent your region. To vote, mark a cross (X) in the box opposite the name of one party or independent candidate.
When voting by post, voters also need to fill in a form accompanying their two ballot papers, giving their signature and date of birth. As a security measure, these are matched against the signature and date of birth the voter provided when they applied to vote by post.
To assist postal voters, The Highland Council has produced a short video titled How To Complete Your Postal Vote For The Scottish Parliament Election. This is helpful to explain what postal voters need to do to make sure their votes count.
Derek Brown, the Constituency and Returning Officer for Highland, said: “I urge postal voters to take the time to read the guidance enclosed in the postal packs and provide the right information so that we can count your votes.”
Completed postal votes need to be returned before polls close at 10pm on Thursday 7 May. All packs will be dispatched in time for you to complete and return before this deadline but if for any reason a registered postal voter has not received their postal ballot pack by Monday 20 April, should phone the Highland election helpline on 01349 886657.
Details of candidates standing:
Caithness, Sutherland and Ross
GREEN, David - Scottish Liberal Democrats
KESTNER, Eva - Scottish Labour Party
MACDONALD, Andrew Ross - Alliance to Liberate Scotland and Sovereignty
MACKENZIE, Donald - Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
SHEPPARD, Matt - Advance UK
TODD, Maree - Scottish National Party (SNP)
WELSH, Steven - Reform UK
Inverness and Nairn
ALEXANDER, Neil - Scottish Liberal Democrats
CAMPBELL, Fred - Reform UK
EWING, Fergus - Independent
FRASER, Shaun Alexander - Scottish Labour Party
RODDICK, Emma - Scottish National Party (SNP)
SKERRETT, Steve - Advance UK
STEWART, Ruraidh - Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch
BAXTER, Andrew Phillip - Scottish Liberal Democrats
CRAWFORD, Helen - Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
HANSLER, Laura - Alliance to Liberate Scotland
MCCAY, Isla - Scottish Labour Party
MUNRO, Eilidh - Scottish National Party (SNP)
WHITTON, Jon - Reform UK
In the Highlands and Islands regional constituencies a total of 166 Parties and 2 2 Independent Candidates are seeking election to:
- Argyll and Bute
- Caithness, Sutherland and Ross
- Inverness and Nairn
- Moray
- Na h-Eileanan an Iar
- Orkney
- Shetland
- Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch
They are:
ADVANCE UK
ALLIANCE TO LIBERATE SCOTLAND
Alliance to Liberate Scotland For Independence
INDEPENDENCE FOR SCOTLAND PARTY
Independence for Scotland Party, Direct Democracy.
INDEPENDENT GREEN VOICE
Independent Green Voice - Organic, Local, Democratic
REFORM UK
SCOTTISH CHRISTIAN PARTY “PROCLAIMING CHRIST’S LORDSHIP”
SCOTTISH CONSERVATIVE AND UNIONIST PARTY
SCOTTISH FAMILY PARTY
Scottish Family Party - Christian values
SCOTTISH GREEN PARTY
Vote Scottish Greens - Let's demand better
SCOTTISH LABOUR PARTY
Scottish Labour - Scotland Needs Change
SCOTTISH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
SCOTTISH LIBERTARIAN PARTY
SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY (SNP)
SCOTTISH RURAL PARTY
SCOTTISH SOCIALIST PARTY
Scottish Socialist Party - Independent Socialist Scotland
WORKERS PARTY OF BRITAIN
Workers Party - Scotland
MACPHERSON, Duncan
INDEPENDENT
RICE, Mick
INDEPENDENT
Further information about the Scottish Parliamentary elections is on The Highland Council’s website