Election done, free pencil secured - Steve Cardownie

That’s it then, the SNP has been entrusted with another five year term, their fourth in a row and we will now have to wait to put our crosses on another Scottish Parliament ballot paper until 2026 by which time the SNP will have been in government for 19 years.

Turnout was up in every constituency

Last week I wrote about the importance of participating in the election and making the time and effort to vote. Like many I was pleasantly surprised at the record turnout of 63.2 per cent. The figures were up in every constituency and the BBC reported that at least half of the registered electorate took part in every seat, indeed it was over 60 per cent in 54 of the 73 constituencies and in 4 it was over 70 per cent.

Thousands of 16 and 17 year olds took the opportunity to cast their first vote in a Scottish Parliament election and Boris Johnson will be under renewed pressure to follow suit and reduce the voting age for UK General Elections. All major Scottish parties are in favour, including Scottish Tories, but this has had no, or very little, influence so far in the corridors of power in the Palace of Westminster.

In Scotland, increased numbers took advantage of postal voting and some elections were “won and lost” before Polling Places opened their doors at 7am last Thursday morning however queues still formed at some, where Covid-19 restrictions dictated that the process took longer than normal but not exceptionally so.

I left my Polling Place after casting my vote with a spring in my step and a smile on my face and-oh aye- a free pencil!