Elections and voting

02 April 2026

Scottish Parliament Election – 7 May 2026

Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Constituency
Notice of Election Agents (PDF 98 KB)

Notice of Election

  1. An election is to be held for a Constituency Member to serve in the Scottish Parliament for the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Constituency.
  2. Nomination papers can be obtained from the office of the Constituency Returning Officer, East Ayrshire Council, Council Headquarters, London Road, Kilmarnock, KA3 7BU, email electionoffice@east-ayrshire.gov.uk during the times stated below.
  3. Nomination papers must be delivered to the Constituency Returning Officer at the Election Office, East Ayrshire Council, Council Headquarters, London Road, Kilmarnock, KA3 7BU between the hours of 10am to 4pm on any working day after the date of this notice but no later than 4pm on Wednesday 1 April 2026.
  4. If the election is contested the poll will take place on Thursday 7 May 2026.
  5. Applications to register to vote must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer by 12 midnight on Monday 20 April 2026. Applications can be made online at GOV.UK: Register to vote.
  6. The £500 deposit can be paid by legal tender or by means of a banker's draft from a drawer which carries on business as a banker in the United Kingdom, or by electronic transfer of funds, or by debit or credit card.
  7. Applications, amendments or cancellation of postal votes must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer at the address below by 5pm on Tuesday 21 April 2026.
  8. Applications to vote by proxy at this election must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer at the address below by 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026.
  9. Applications to vote by emergency proxy at this election can be made after the 28 April deadline on the grounds of:
    • disability suffered after that deadline (or, for applicants who suffered a disability before the deadline, their disability meant that they could not reasonably have made an application in time)
    • the need to accompany an individual to attend medical care or treatment arising after that deadline
    • being detained in a hospital under the civil sections of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 arising after that deadline
    • work/service reasons arising after that deadline
    • Scottish prisoners serving a sentence of 12 months or less arising after that deadline
    • circumstances that mean the appointed proxy cannot reasonably be expected to vote in person at the polling station arising after that deadline

Applications must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer at the address below by 5pm on Thursday 7 May 2026.

Contact details of Electoral Registration Officer in the Constituency

Electoral Registration Office, 9 Wellington Square, Ayr, KA7 1HL, email ero@ayrshire-vjb.gov.uk, Telephone 01292 612221.

Council areas covered: East, North and South Ayrshire Council areas.

16 March 2026
Eddie Fraser, The Constituency Returning Officer

Printed and published by the Constituency Returning Officer, Council Headquarters, London Road, Kilmarnock, KA3 7BU.

Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley Constituency
Notice of Election Agent (PDF 91 KB) 

Notice of Election

  1. An election is to be held for a Constituency Member to serve in the Scottish Parliament for the Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley Constituency.
  2. Nomination papers can be obtained from the office of the Constituency Returning Officer, East Ayrshire Council, Council Headquarters, London Road, Kilmarnock, KA3 7BU; email electionoffice@east-ayrshire.gov.uk during the times stated below.
  3. Nomination papers must be delivered to the Constituency Returning Officer at the Election Office, East Ayrshire Council, Council Headquarters, London Road, Kilmarnock, KA3 7BU between the hours of 10am to 4pm on any working day after the date of this notice but no later than 4pm on Wednesday 1 April 2026.
  4. If the election is contested the poll will take place on Thursday 7 May 2026.
  5. Applications to register to vote must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer by 12 midnight on Monday 20 April 2026. Applications can be made online at GOV.UK: Register to vote.
  6. The £500 deposit can be paid by legal tender or by means of a banker's draft from a drawer which carries on business as a banker in the United Kingdom, or by electronic transfer of funds, or by debit or credit card.
  7. Applications, amendments or cancellation of postal votes must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer at the address below by 5pm on Tuesday 21 April 2026.
  8. Applications to vote by proxy at this election must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer at the address below by 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026.
  9. Applications to vote by emergency proxy at this election can be made after the 28 April deadline on the grounds of:
    • disability suffered after that deadline (or, for applicants who suffered a disability before the deadline, their disability meant that they could not reasonably have made an application in time)
    • the need to accompany an individual to attend medical care or treatment arising after that deadline
    • being detained in a hospital under the civil sections of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 arising after that deadline
    • work/service reasons arising after that deadline
    • Scottish prisoners serving a sentence of 12 months or less arising after that deadline
    • circumstances that mean the appointed proxy cannot reasonably be expected to vote in person at the polling station arising after that deadline

Applications must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer at the address below by 5pm on Thursday 7 May 2026.

Contact details of Electoral Registration Officer in the Constituency

Electoral Registration Office, 9 Wellington Square, Ayr, KA7 1HL, email ero@ayrshire-vjb.gov.uk, Telephone 01292 612221.

Council areas covered: East, North and South Ayrshire Council areas.

16 March 2026
Eddie Fraser, The Constituency Returning Officer

Printed and published by the Constituency Returning Officer, Council Headquarters, London Road, Kilmarnock, KA3 7BU.

South Scotland Region
To view the Statement of Persons Nominated within the South Scotland Region please visit Dumfries and Galloway Council: Scottish Parliament Elections

Notice of Election

  1. An election is to be held for seven members to serve in the Scottish Parliament for the South Scotland Region.
  2. Nomination papers can be obtained from the office of the Regional Returning Officer, Dumfries and Galloway Council, English Street, Dumfries DG1 2DD during the times stated below.
  3. Nomination papers must be delivered to the Regional Returning Officer at Dumfries and Galloway Council, English Street, Dumfries, DG1 2DD between the hours of 10am and 4pm on any working day after the date of this notice but no later than 4pm on Wednesday 1 April 2026.
  4. If the election is contested the poll will take place on Thursday 7 May 2026.
  5. Applications to register to vote must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer by 12 midnight on Monday 20 April 2026. Applications can be made online at GOV.UK: Register to vote.
  6. The £500 deposit can be paid by legal tender or by means of a banker’s draft from a drawer which carries on business as a banker in the United Kingdom or by electronic transfer of funds.
  7. Applications, amendments or cancellations of postal votes must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer at the address below by 5pm on Tuesday 21 April 2026
  8. Applications to vote by proxy at this election must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer at the address below by 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026.
  9. Applications to vote by emergency proxy at this election can be made after the 28 April deadline on the grounds of:
    • disability suffered after that deadline (or, for applicants who suffered a disability before the deadline, their disability meant that they could not reasonably have made an application in time)
    • the need to accompany an individual to attend medical care or treatment arising after that deadline
    • being detained in a hospital under the civil sections of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 arising after that deadline
    • work/service reasons arising after that deadline
    • Scottish prisoners serving a sentence of 12 months or less arising after that deadline
    • circumstances that mean the appointed proxy cannot reasonably be expected to vote in person at the polling station arising after that deadline

Applications must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer at the address below by 5pm on Thursday 7 May 2026.

Contact details of Electoral Registration Officers in the Region

  1. Alexander J Clark, Electoral Registration Officer, Dumfries and Galloway - Militia House, English Street, Dumfries, DG1 2HR, email ero@dumgal.gov.uk,Telephone 030 33 33 3002.
  2. Magnus Voy, Electoral Registration Officer, South Ayrshire - 9 Wellington Square, Ayr, KA7 1HL, email: ero@ayrshire-vjb.gov.uk, Telephone 01292 612221.
  3. Magnus Voy, Electoral Registration Officer, East Ayrshire - 9 Wellington Square, Ayr, KA7 1HL, email: ero@ayrshire-vjb.gov.uk, Telephone 01292 612221.
  4. Jackie Dell, Electoral Registration Officer, South Lanarkshire - David Dale House, 45 John Street, Blantyre, G72 0AA, email: ero@lanarkshire-vjb.gov.uk, Telephone 0800 030 4333.
  5. Brian Rout, Electoral Registration Officer, Scottish Borders - PO Box 13639, Council Headquarters, Newtown Street, Boswells, Melrose, TD6 6BQ, email Electoral.Registration@scotborders.gov.uk, Telephone 01835 825100.

16 March 2026
Dawn Roberts, The Regional Returning Officer

Printed and Published by the Regional Returning Officer, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Elections Office, English Street, Dumfries, DG1 2DD.

To view the Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll for the Cunninghame South Constituency and the West of Scotland Region please visit North Ayrshire Council: Scottish Parliament Election

Voting in elections

The Electoral Commission has created a guide to voting in the Scottish Parliament election.

This guide is also available in accessible formats:

  • British Sign Language (BSL) video
  • audio
  • easy read
  • large print, and
  • translations in certain languages

RNIB Scotland

A card ballot paper overlay and linked audio ballot paper will be available for the first time at all polling stations for the Scottish Parliament election.

Visit RNIB Scotland: Voting in Scotland and UK election for more information and a video explaining the use of this new accessible voting aid for visually impaired voters.

Electoral register

The electoral register is updated every month through rolling registration, and registration is now done individually.

If you've moved house or have been missed from the register, you can update your details quicker, and also register to vote online at GOV.UK.

Where to check the Register of Electors

You can view the local register:

  • at your local library
  • at Council Headquarters, London Road, Kilmarnock
  • by contacting the Ayrshire Valuation Joint Board's Electoral Registration Office

Once you have registered you can choose to vote by proxy or by post.

Proxy votes

A proxy vote can be granted to anyone who satisfies the local registration officer that he or she cannot reasonably be expected to vote in person on polling day.

Examples include people who:

  • are on holiday
  • are ill or in hospital
  • away on business
  • have moved house but have not had time to register at their new address and are still on the register at their old address

A proxy can also vote by post if preferred.

Postal votes

You can apply for a postal vote permanently or as a one-off in advance of any election.

The video below explains what happens to your postal vote after you send it.

Elections and voting - postal votes video

Who can register to vote

To be registered to vote you must be:

  • a resident or deemed resident in the registration area
  • a British, Irish, Commonwealth, European Union citizen or foreign national
  • aged 14 or over
  • not subject to any legal incapacity

How to register to vote

You can register to vote online at GOV.UK.

You can also contact the Ayrshire Valuation Joint Board's Electoral Registration Office. They can take your details by phone and complete the registration for you.

When you can vote

You can vote in:

  • Scottish Parliament and local government elections from 16 years old
  • UK Parliamentary (Westminster) elections from 18 years old if you are a British or Commonwealth citizen

If you are not a British or Commonwealth citizen, you cannot vote in UK Parliamentary elections.

Voter registration and voting forms

You can download forms for:

  • voter registration
  • postal voting
  • proxy voting

Visit Ayrshire Valuation Joint Board: Download forms

Please print, complete, and return them to the Ayrshire Valuation Joint Board.

Annual electoral canvass

The annual electoral canvass is a legal requirement that takes place every year from July to November.

If you are already registered to vote, you must respond to the emails or letters we send each year to confirm whether the details for your household have changed. If you do not respond, you may be removed from the electoral register.

If you are not yet registered to vote at your permanent address, you must still reply to the annual canvass communication as well as applying to register to vote.

For more information on the Annual Electoral Canvass 2025 please visit Ayrshire Valuation Joint Board : Annual Electoral Canvass.

Current political composition and past election results

View the current political make up of the Council and past Council election results.

Contact Information

Ayrshire Valuation Joint Board
9 Wellington Square
Ayr
South Ayrshire
KA7 1HL
Telephone: 01292 612221
Email:
Election Services
Telephone: 01563 576555
Email: