Scottish Election 2021 Thursday RECAP: Polling across Scotland closes as Nicola Sturgeon fights for SNP majority | Anas Sarwar's Labour tries to overtake Douglas Ross's Conservatives | Dogs pictured at polling places
Here is a look back on polling to elect the next Scottish Government today (May 6) as polls across Scotland close.
Polling stations were open from 7am till 10pm, in an election which could be crucial in determining Scotland’s future within the UK.
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Scottish Election 2021 RECAP: The updates from around the country as Scotland went to the polls
Scots are heading to the polls to elect the next Scottish Government – though the coronavirus pandemic means it could be more than 48 hours before all the results are counted.
Polling stations are open from 7am till 10pm, in an election which could be crucial in determining Scotland’s future within the UK.
Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP leader, is certain to be returned as First Minister with the largest party in the 129-seat Scottish Parliament.
But she and her party are pushing to try to win an overall majority at Holyrood, in the hope that this could help them secure a second independence referendum.
This is how you can vote in the Scottish election - and where your nearest polling station is
The deadline for registering for a postal vote has now passed but you can still go down to the polls on Scotland’s election day to cast your ballot
Scottish Parliament election 2021: what was voter turnout for 2016 election and what was the outcome?
This is how high voter turnout was for the Scottish Parliament election in 2016
Turnout was 55.8% at the last Holyrood election
Scottish Parliament election 2021: full list of 129 MSPs by party, region and constituency – and current composition of Holyrood
Here's a full list of current MSPs ahead of the 2021 Scottish Parliament election
Scotland’s political parties are competing for 129 MSP seats on May 6
Scottish election polls: what are the latest opinion polls for 2021 election - and what happened in 2016?
These are the latest Scottish Parliament election polls - and what happened in 2016
The Scottish Parliament election is taking place on Thursday - so what are the current result predictions?
Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP leader, is certain to be returned as First Minister with the largest party in the 129-seat Scottish Parliament.
But she and her party are pushing to try to win an overall majority at Holyrood, in the hope that this could help them secure a second independence referendum.
Throughout the campaign Ms Sturgeon has stressed that such a ballot would not take place until the immediate health crisis brought about by the coronavirus pandemic has passed.
Her opponents, however, in the pro-UK parties insist that this would hinder Scotland’s recovery from the virus, arguing that this must be the focus of the next Scottish Parliament.
With the SNP winning most of their seats in the constituency section of the ballot, elections expert Professor Sir John Curtice said there were nine “knife-edge constituencies” which will be key in this.
These are seats held by the Tories or Labour, but where Ms Sturgeon’s party would need a swing of five points or less to claim them.
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Nicola Sturgeon, Douglas Ross, Anas Sarwar, Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater and Willie Rennie are leading their parties into the Holyrood election