Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Speaker's Committee has had discussions with the Electoral Commission on the capacity of Dumfries and Galloway Council to (a) conduct the Scottish Parliament constituency counts for the (i) Dumfriesshire and Galloway and (ii) West Dumfries constituencies and (b) administer the South of Scotland regional count at the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections.

The Electoral Commission is supporting all local authorities that are holding elections next May, including Dumfries and Galloway Council.

To address challenges administering counts, and following consultation with Returning Officers (ROs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and the Electoral Commission, the Convener of the Electoral Management Board (EMB) for Scotland recently directed electoral administrators to count votes for the Scottish Parliament elections for the day after the polls, rather than overnight.

Election staff from Dumfries and Galloway Council were among those who recently attended a joint event with EMB and Commission aimed at supporting EROs and ROs preparing for elections.