One last surprise in this remarkable election . . .

[NickB]

.
No-one thought that would happen . . . Mike Mackenzie got in, 7th on the list!

That's the SNP with an overall majority of 4.

[jimcee]

One cannot help but feel sorry for our next door neighbours.

[brodie]

7th on the list - talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel.

0 votes - how democratic is that - sounds like an EE scheme.

[MonaLott]

Great to have a local man in Holyrood (and one from the best party). Well done, mate, and poor show to the above sad cynics.

[sleepy]

I don't consider myself to be a 'sad cynic' and admit the result was what I'd hoped but not in the staggering proportions that it occurred in.

We went thru a referendum re AV which has been rejected out of hand but there is something clearly wrong with a system that elects MSPs when not one single vote was cast for them!!

At least Jamie MacG was second in the main vote but how can this be fair, reflective and honest.

Is this a major failure by Labour when it historically tried to 'rig' the voting system to prevent the SNP from doing what it has just spectacularly achieved?

Anybody know if the id's of 'list' MSPs are known before an election?

[NickB]

Anybody know if the id's of 'list' MSPs are known before an election?

Yes, they are.

It's a pretty fair system. Known as a mixed member proportional representation system it reflects more accurately than FPTP the total number of votes cast for each party. To say that List MPs have no votes cast for them is not really true. Votes on the second ballot are cast for the party, not for indivudual MPs - but you are able to find out who is on the list for each party in each region if it is important to you. The List vote is adjusted to make the overall results more proportional, countering any distortions in the constituency results. For example, in NE Scotland the SNP received 140,000 list votes, more than all other parties combined. However, the SNP only got one additional member because they had done so well in the FPTP constituency seats, and this was taken into account.

If you are interested, the exact method the List MPs are decided is described below (from Wikipedia):

The total number of seats in the Parliament are allocated to parties proportionally to the number of votes received in the second vote of the ballot using the d'Hondt method. For example, to determine who is awarded the first list seat, the number of list votes cast for each party is divided by one plus the number of seats the party won in the region (at this point just constituency seats). The party with the highest quotient is awarded the seat, which is then added to its constituency seats in allocating the second seat. This is repeated iteratively until all available list seats are allocated.

It is a very hard system for any one party to get an overall majority in, which makes the SNP's performance all the more remarkable.

[val t]

Let us all hope that the re-elected SNP do a good job for the future of our country and families.They most certainly have a crystal clear mandate to govern now.

[jimcee]

It is not strictly true that list MP's get votes - the Party get the votes and then in their wisdom? draw up a list if candidates in the order of their preference - not the voter's choice.
This situation would never happen under good old AV.

[NickB]

It is not strictly true that list MP's get votes - the Party get the votes and then in their wisdom? draw up a list if candidates in the order of their preference - not the voter's choice.
This situation would never happen under good old AV.

Now you are just stirring it Jim

No voting system is perfect, and it is easy to deride the Scottish system by referring to List MPs as 'placemen' or with similar derogatory epithets. However, it is possible for voters to find out who their list MPs are and to decide on that basis whether or not to give a particular party their second vote if the quality of list MPs is important to them. There are always alternatives, but the SNP ran a very efficient 'both votes SNP' campaign in this election - which certainly derailed the Greens' 'second vote green' strategy and contributed greatly to the overall majority they now enjoy at Holyrood.

I can understand people saying 'but I ticked a box saying SNP -Alex Salmond for First Minister' - I didn't tick a box saying 'Mike Mackenzie' - but you could have found out that he was on the list and worked out that this might happen.

Good luck and fair winds to all our new MSPs.

[DonnieC]

Now look what you've all done! Iain Gray going in the Autumn and Tavish Scott going now.

National rumour has it Nick Clegg's jacket is also on a shaky peg!

Allegedly, the polling clerk on Thursday, I think, was overheard saying it had been an excellent turnout, 76% of the local populace bothered to cast their vote, way above the national average.

Credit should be given to those who did so.

[DonnieC]

Amazing what else you can pick up when you delve into the infamous 'list!'

Annabel Goldie, leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, was third in the Renfrewshire North and West election behind the SNP and Labour!

Also, just read in the Daily Mail that of the six likeliest candidates to replace Iain Gray as leader, all six lost their seats and were not on the list for the second vote!

Ain't politics fascinating!

[Herby Dice]

Heard a rumour that the SNP got so many votes they ran out of list candidates and now have a sackful of votes with noone to give them to. Might I respectfully volunteer to be added to the list to take up some of the slack? I don't have a lot of experience in politics but I quite like Edinburgh, and have lots of experience filling in expenses forms.

[jimcee]

If you get on to the list successfully, it also works wonders when your motoring disdemeanours go over the limit.

[katana]

just a question- how is our new member going to get from Oban Sheriff Court to Holyrood in time to get sworn in? does Easdale Island have wormholes allowing instant travel? has he employed a doppelgänger?
IMHO it's not a very auspicious start to his new position

[brodie]

No wormholes on Easdale - the 7th on the list (or bottom of the barrel) member decided that he was now much too important to waste time going to court. The sheriff, unsurprisingly, was not impressed - the case will continue.

[canUsmellthat]

Has the unfortunate chap not filed bankruptcy therefore negating his position of counsellor??? And anyone reading the Daily Record...Really????? I take it you were disappointed with the result? No PP to keep us right on this thread, what will we do...

[Beetlejuice]

He must be soooooo pleased to have made front page news in the O.T.
What's this about the Daily Record?

[brodie]

If you get on to the list successfully, it also works wonders when your motoring disdemeanours go over the limit.

Please elucidate, tell us more!!

[jimcee]

Motoring offences - I was not referring to our local newly, 7th on the list, in trouble with the law, member.
It was a reference to another local list member who got back in again this time. via the list.
He got done for speeding and went over the tot-up limit but because of his exalted position got only 6 weeks suspension instead of the rather more stringent sentence experienced by we lesser mortals -, and the 6 weeks were during the Holyrood recess, so it wasn't so much of a handicap.

[Beetlejuice]

Well, I see our "surprise" MSP made the front page of Scotland on Sunday
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/po ... 6772332.jp