Author: Ballot Box Scotland

This year’s local elections delivered a lukewarm result for the SNP, whilst Labour reclaimed second place from a beleaguered Conservative party. The Lib Dems also made solid gains, and the Greens delivered an expectation-busting record result.

With only half as many candidates as the peak in 2012, and only 60% of incumbents re-standing, what on earth is happening to Scotland’s Independent councillors?

Slow and steady growth is likely to be the order of the day for the Greens, whose prospects of building on last year’s record result at Holyrood are limited by a somewhat less proportional voting system.

It’s been a dire decade for the (Liberal) Democrats, and last year’s Holyrood result raised the spectre of continuing woes. A slight improvement in polling however, combined with weakened Conservatives, might offer a chance for stabilisation or even regrowth.

Labour’s number of candidates and wards contested are at their lowest level since STV was introduced, but they may nonetheless be in a position to once again become Scotland’s second party at local government level.

The Conservatives had a record result in 2017 – so good they hadn’t stood enough candidates to fully benefit. They aren’t making that mistake again, but nonetheless face the credible prospect of slipping back into third place.

Scotland’s dominant party haven’t yet proven quite as dominant at local elections. They’ll be hoping to change that this year, but some potential under-nominations may have hampered some of their prospects for growth.