skip to content

Elections in your area

Thursday 7 May 2026

You will have two ballot papers to fill out.

Get ready to vote:

There may also be parish, town or community council elections in some areas.

Scottish Parliament elections

Na h-Eileanan an Iar constituency

This election will be held on Thursday 7 May 2026.

There are boundary changes which affect this election.

  • Members of the Scottish Parliament are elected every five years. The Parliament has responsibility over areas including health, transport, local government and education, as well as some tax raising powers. Learn more about your MSPs.

    When voting for Members of the Scottish Parliament you will have two ballot papers: one to represent your constituency, and one to represent your region. You can vote only once on each paper. The constituency MSP is elected by First Past the Post. The number of regional MSPs is then calculated using proportional representation, taking into account the number of constituency MSPs the party has already won in that region.

    Your constituency may have changed. A new set of constituency and regional boundaries will be used for the 2026 Scottish parliament elections. The boundaries have been reviewed by the independent organisation Boundaries Scotland to take account of population changes since 2011. This means that your constituency or region may have changed since the last election. Learn more about the review.

You will have one vote, and can choose from six candidates.

Get ready to vote:

  • How to vote

    This election uses First-past-the-post.

    Mark an X in the box for your preferred candidate.

    You can mark up to one candidate.

    Read the instructions at the top of your ballot paper carefully.

    For more information, visit The Electoral Commission's website or ask an official at your polling station.

Scottish Parliament elections

Highlands and Islands region

This election will be held on Thursday 7 May 2026.

There are boundary changes which affect this election.

You will have one vote, and can choose from 18 parties or independent candidates in the Highlands and Islands region.

Get ready to vote:

  • How to vote

    This election uses Additional Member System.

    Mark an X in the box for one party or independent candidate.

    Read the instructions at the top of your ballot paper carefully.

    For more information, visit The Electoral Commission's website or ask an official at your polling station.

Photo of
Independent:
Duncan Macpherson
Blank Head icons created by Freepik - Flaticon
Independent:
Mick Rice

  • You should get a "poll card" through the post telling you where to vote.

    If you haven't got one, or aren't sure where to vote, you should call Comhairle nan Eilean Siar on 01851 822 613.

    Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
    https://www.cne-siar.gov.uk
    elections@cne-siar.gov.uk

    Read more about how to vote.

  • Register to vote

    You need to be registered in order to vote. If you aren't registered to vote visit https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

    Register before midnight on 20 April 2026 to vote on 7 May 2026.

    Send your postal and proxy vote applications to your local electoral registration team. You can also contact them to find out if you’re on the electoral register, and if you already have a postal or proxy vote.

    Electoral Registration

    Electoral Registration Officer
    Highland and Western Isles VJB
    Moray House
    16-18 Bank Street
    INVERNESS
    IV1 1QY
    https://www.saa.gov.uk/h-wi-vjb/the-electoral-register/
    ero@highland.gov.uk

    Your Returning Officer

    Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
    Sandwick Road
    Stornoway
    Isle of Lewis
    HS1 2BW
    HS1 2BW
    https://www.cne-siar.gov.uk
    elections@cne-siar.gov.uk

  • Voting by post

    If you know that you won't be able to get to the polling station on polling day, you can vote by post. You have until 21 April 2026 to Apply for a postal vote.

    Read more about applying for a postal vote.

    Ballot papers for the election on 7 May 2026 will not be printed until after today. If you have a postal vote, your local council will send your postal voting pack around three weeks before polling day.

    If you are away from home before or shortly after today, and will not return before polling day, your postal vote will not reach you in time for you to use it. In this case, you should consider applying for a proxy vote instead.

    If you have not received your postal voting pack, you can contact Comhairle nan Eilean Siar on 01851 822 613.

    Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
    https://www.cne-siar.gov.uk
    elections@cne-siar.gov.uk

  • Add future elections in HS8 5SX to your calendar

    Manually subscribe by following these simple steps for your chosen calendar tool:

    1. In your calendar app settings, choose the option for adding a new calendar.
    2. If presented with the option to choose a calendar type, choose web calendar.
    3. Enter this URL and save: webcal://whocanivotefor.co.uk/elections/HS8%205SX/139021047.ics

Did you find what you were looking for?
Has this service changed your likelihood of voting?

If you provide an email address, we may contact you to request more information or notify you of improvements related to this report. It will not be used for email marketing purposes.