Student News

A photo of Glasgow taken from the clydeside, the hydro, finneston crane and uofg are all visible

The 2026 Scottish Parliament Elections will take place on Thursday 7 May, where a total of 129 MSPs will be elected.

Here’s what you need to know if you’re planning on voting this year:

Who can vote and when

To vote in Scottish Parliament and council elections, you must live in Scotland and be either:

  • A British citizen
  • An Irish citizen
  • A foreign national of another country who is permitted to enter or stay in the UK
  • Registered to vote at an address in Scotland

If you’re an international student, or a student aged 16 or 17, you are eligible to vote in this election.

Polling stations will open at 07:00 and close at 22:00. You can register for a postal vote if you will not be present to vote in person.

How to register to vote

The deadline for registering to vote for the next Scottish Parliament election is 11:59pm Monday 20th April.

You can visit the gov.scot website to find out more on registering for the upcoming elections.

Who can I vote for?

You can find out who your regional and local constituency candidates are by going to whocanivotefor.co.uk and inputting your postcode.

What to expect on polling day

If you’ve never voted in a Scottish Election before, or are nervous about the process, here are some steps to make sure you’re ready to vote on the day.

  1. First you need to know where to vote. The address of your polling station should be written on your polling card. If you can’t find your polling card, you can look up your local polling station on the Electoral Commission website.
  2. When you arrive at your local polling station, you’ll be asked for your name and address by a member of staff.
  3. Once you’ve confirmed your name and address and have been confirmed as registered to vote, you’ll be given a ballot paper and directed to a polling booth.
  4. Follow the instructions on the ballot paper once you’re in the polling booth.
  5. Fold your ballot paper in half and put it in the ballot box.
  6. You’ve cast your vote!

If you have any other questions about voting, you can visit the Electorial Commission Website.

First published: 2 April 2026

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