On 7 May 2026, there will be a Scottish Parliamentary Election in which voters will elect Scotland’s 129 MSPs (Members of the Scottish Parliament). If you want to use your vote and take part, there are key dates to be aware of – as well as understanding the choices you have about how you vote as well as who you vote for.
51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Council has a dedicated Elections web page where you can find out everything you need to know about this election, from how to register to vote to submitting a nomination if you’re standing for election yourself. This web page will be updated regularly in the run-up to Polling Day on 7 May.
The first stage is the publication of the Notice of Election for the 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Constituency – the formal notification that the election is taking place. This will be published on 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Council’s website on Monday 16 March.
Voters living in Helensburgh and Lomond are part of the Dumbarton constituency and can find information at
For the 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Constituency, nominations from people who want to stand for election to the Scottish Parliament will open from Tuesday 17 March, and close at 4pm on Wednesday 1 April. After that, the Notice of Poll will be published – this sets out the final list of candidates standing to represent 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute.
The most important thing to remember is that if you want to use your vote, you must be registered first. The deadline for in this election is Monday 20 April 2026 – although it’s better to register as soon as you can. Registering to vote only takes a few minutes and you can do it online.
Once you’re registered to vote, you have choices about how you vote as well as who you vote for. If you choose to vote in person, you’ll receive a polling card telling you where to go to cast your vote on Election Day. The Council’s Elections web page will also have an up-to-date list of polling stations for this election available from 1st April.
However, if you’re away, you could choose a postal vote or a proxy vote (where someone else goes to the polling station in person to cast your vote on your behalf).
Below are key dates to know and to keep in mind depending on how you want to choose to vote.
If you want to vote by post, you need to apply by 5pm on Tuesday 21 April 2026 – although it’s better to apply as early as possible. You may need to print out and post a form, depending on your circumstances, so if this is how you want to vote, you may want to allow yourself plenty of time to make sure you don’t miss out.
You can apply for a postal vote for a specific election or for a specified period of time. At the links below, you can find the.
If you want to appoint someone to vote on your behalf, you need to by 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026. Again, you may need to print and post out documents depending on your circumstances, so allow plenty of time to complete the process.
You can find about your voting choices online.
The information here and on the Council’s website is designed to help you choose how you vote as well as who you vote for and to make sure you know what you need to do in time to use your vote. Keep checking our election information in the run-up to Polling Day, Thursday 7 May 2026. Your vote counts.
