Contents

Overall 2022 Result
Overview
Past Results
Individual Ward Results:
By-Elections:
Corstorphine and Murrayfield (Ward 6) - 9th of March 2023

Overall 2022 Result

Council-Wide Results

Edinburgh’s 2022 results are best summed up in the style of a newspaper headline – “CONSERVATIVE’S CAPITAL CALAMITY“. After a poor result in the city at Holyrood last year, the Conservatives plummeted from first to fourth in terms of votes. That caused them to lose half of their seats, leaving them with 9, and actually making them the fifth and smallest party on the council in terms of seats. It wasn’t the SNP or Labour that benefitted however, with the SNP’s slight vote slip still keeping them on 19 seats, and Labour gaining only marginally by both measures, up one seat to 13.

Instead, the big winners in Edinburgh definitely feel like the Lib Dems. They doubled their number of seats to 12, and although that put them one shy of Labour’s total, they were second in vote share with a superb 7% swing. Likewise very content with the outcome will be the Greens, who gained two to hit 10 councillors. However, they failed to elect a new candidate in the Fountainbridge & Craiglockhart ward, and some of their results were dicier than their counterparts in Glasgow.

Administration

After the election, a Labour minority administration was formed. 

Interactive Map

Overview

Though Scotland is a relative rarity in European terms in that our capital isn’t our largest city, Edinburgh is otherwise typical of capitals across the continent. It draws together areas of relative wealth and deprivation, and has extremely high political diversity. Unlike its counterweight at the other end of the Central Belt, Edinburgh has relatively minimal sprawl connecting it to historic surrounding towns – it only flows neatly into Musselburgh in neighbouring East Lothian. However, the council boundaries do include some outlying villages that the city proper hasn’t yet absorbed either, most notably at (South) Queensferry in the west.

The comparatively affluent nature of the city would see it retain Conservative MPs right up until the party’s collapse in 1997, and it would also be a site of one of their earliest constituency victories at Holyrood in 2003. Though Labour were the leading parliamentary force in the city for a time, the Lib Dems also had a strong presence, particularly in the West and South. At Westminster, Edinburgh South was Labour’s sole Scottish seat in 2015 and again since 2019, whilst the Lib Dem loss of West would only last until 2017. At Holyrood, the SNP first won a single constituency here in 2007 before almost sweeping the city in 2011. 2016 saw each of the pro-Union parties win a single constituency, though the Conservatives would lose theirs in 2021.

The old district council started with Conservative leads in the first three elections, though only 1977 was with a majority. This shifted to clear Labour leads for most of the rest of the time and through the early unitary era, with only 1992 failing to produce a Labour majority. That year was also the start of a steady uptick in Lib Dem representation in Edinburgh, culminating in taking the mantle of second largest party in 2003.

Previous STV Elections

2007
2012
2017

Individual Ward Results

Almond (Ward 1)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🟠Lib Dem: Kevin Lang
🟡SNP: Norrie Work
🟠Lib Dem: Louise Young
🟠Lib Dem: Lewis J Younie
Change vs 2017: +1 Lib Dem, -1 Conservative
Electorate: 27454
Turnout: 51.1%
Valid: 13909 (99.2%)
Spoiled: 115 (0.8%)
Quota: 2782

Candidates

🟤Workers Party: Annemarie Baillie
🟢Green: Andrew Brough
🟣Family: Stewart Geddes
🔴Labour: Fred Hessler
🔵Conservative: James Hill
🟠Lib Dem: Kevin Lang
🟡SNP: Norrie Work
🟠Lib Dem: Louise Young
🟠Lib Dem: Lewis J Younie

Almond: First Preferences
Almond: Transfers
Almond: Results by Polling District
Almond: Second Preferences
Almond: Two-Candidate Preferred

Pentland Hills (Ward 2)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🔵Conservative: Graeme Bruce
🟡SNP: Neil Gardiner
🔴Labour: Stephen Jenkinson
🟡SNP: Fiona Glasgow
Change vs 2017: +1 SNP, -1 Conservative
Turnout: 46.3%
Electorate: 24312
Valid: 11087 (98.4%)
Spoiled: 179 (1.6%)
Quota: 2218

Candidates

🔵Conservative: Graeme Bruce
🟠Lib Dem: Michael Chappell
🟣Family: Richard Fettes
🟡SNP: Neil Gardiner
🔵Conservative: Emma Gilchrist
🟡SNP: Fiona Glasgow
🔴Labour: Stephen Jenkinson
🟢Green: Ross Muller
🟤Libertarian: Louis Rowlands

Pentland Hills: First Preferences
Pentland Hills: Transfers
Pentland Hills: Results by Polling District
Pentland Hills: Second Preferences
Pentland Hills: Two-Candidate Preferred

Drum Brae and Gyle (Ward 3)

Councillors and Key Stats

3 Councillors, in order elected:
🟠Lib Dem: Robert Aldridge
🟡SNP: Euan Hyslop
🟠Lib Dem: Edward Thornley
Change vs 2017: +1 Lib Dem, -1 Conservative
Turnout: 50.8%
Electorate: 18822
Valid: 9451 (98.9%)
Spoiled: 109 (1.1%)
Quota: 2363

Candidates

🟠Lib Dem: Robert Aldridge
🔵Conservative: Mark Brown
🟡SNP: Euan Hyslop
🟣Family: Eileen Johnston
🔴Labour: Nkechi Okoro
🟢Green: Anne Scott
🟤Libertarian: Gary Smith
🟠Lib Dem: Edward Thornley

Drum Brae and Gyle: First Preferences
Drum Brae and Gyle: Transfers
Drum Brae and Gyle: Results by Polling District
Drum Brae and Gyle: Second Preferences
Drum Brae and Gyle: Two-Candidate Preferred

Forth (Ward 4)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🟠Lib Dem: Sanne Dijkstra-Downie
🟡SNP: Stuart Dobbin
🔴Labour: Cammy Day
🟢Green: Kayleigh O’Neill
Change vs 2017: +1 Lib Dem, +1 Green, -1 Conservative, -1 SNP
Electorate: 24934
Turnout: 43.0%
Valid: 10555 (98.3%)
Spoiled: 178 (1.7%)
Quota: 2112

Candidates

🔵Conservative: Jim Campbell
🟣Family: Linda Lenora Campbell
🔴Labour: Cammy Day
🟠Lib Dem: Sanne Dijkstra-Downie
🟡SNP: Stuart Dobbin
🟡SNP: Carrie Gooch
🟤Women’s Equality: Kerry Heathcote
🟢Green: Kayleigh O’Neill

Forth: First Preferences
Forth: Transfers
Forth: Results by Polling District
Forth: Second Preferences
Forth: Two-Candidate Preferred

Inverleith (Ward 5)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🟠Lib Dem: Hal Osler
🟡SNP: Vicky Nicolson
🔵Conservative: Max Mitchell
🟢Green: Jule Bandel
Change vs 2017: +1 Green, -1 Conservative
Turnout: 55.0%
Electorate: 24608
Valid: 13416 (99.1%)
Spoiled: 126 (0.9%)
Quota: 2684

Candidates

🟢Green: Jule Bandel
🔵Conservative: Stuart Herring
🟣Family: Phil Holden
🟤Libertarian: Tam Laird
Independent: Stephen McNamara
🔵Conservative: Max Mitchell
🔴Labour: Mhairi Munro-Brian
🟡SNP: Vicky Nicolson
🟠Lib Dem: Hal Osler
🟠Lib Dem: Malcolm Wood

Inverleith: First Preferences
Inverleith: Transfers
Inverleith: Results by Polling District
Inverleith: Second Preferences
Inverleith: Two-Candidate Preferred

Corstorphine and Murrayfield (Ward 6)

Councillors and Key Stats

3 Councillors, in order elected:
🟠Lib Dem: Alan Beal
🟠Lib Dem: Euan Davidson
🟡SNP: Frank Ross
Change vs 2017: +1 Lib Dem, -1 Conservative
Turnout: 58.8%
Electorate: 19533
Valid: 11384 (99.1%)
Spoiled: 108 (0.9%)
Quota: 2847

Candidates

🟠Lib Dem: Alan Beal
🟣Family: Norman Colville
🟠Lib Dem: Euan Davidson
🔵Conservative: Hugh Findlay
🟢Green: Connal Hughes
🔴Labour: Richard Parker
🟡SNP: Frank Ross

Corstorphine and Murrayfield: First Preferences
Corstorphine and Murrayfield: Transfers
Corstorphine and Murrayfield: Results by Polling District
Corstorphine and Murrayfield: Second Preferences
Corstorphine and Murrayfield: Two-Candidate Preferred

Sighthill and Gorgie (Ward 7)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🔴Labour: Ross McKenzie
🟡SNP: Catherine Fullerton
🟡SNP: Denis Dixon
🟢Green: Dan Heap
Change vs 2017: +1 Green, -1 Conservative
Turnout: 35.9%
Electorate: 23850
Valid: 8375 (97.9%)
Spoiled: 182 (2.1%)
Quota: 1676

Candidates

🟡SNP: Denis Dixon
🟡SNP: Catherine Fullerton
Independent: Ashley Graczyk
🟢Green: Dan Heap
Alba: David Henry
🔵Conservative: Mark Hooley
🔴Labour: Ross McKenzie
🟠Lib Dem: Devin Scobie

Sighthill and Gorgie: First Preferences
Sighthill and Gorgie: Transfers
Sighthill and Gorgie: Results by Polling District
Sighthill and Gorgie: Second Preferences
Sighthill and Gorgie: Two-Candidate Preferred

Colinton and Fairmilehead (Ward 8)

Councillors and Key Stats

3 Councillors, in order elected:
🔴Labour: Scott Arthur
🔵Conservative: Jason Rust
🟡SNP: Marco Biagi
Change vs 2017: +1 SNP, -1 Conservative
Turnout: 59.3%
Electorate: 19454
Valid: 11414 (98.9%)
Spoiled: 126 (1.1%)
Quota: 2854

Candidates

🔴Labour: Scott Arthur
🟡SNP: Marco Biagi
🔵Conservative: Neil Cuthbert
🟣Family: Richard Lucas
🟢Green: Helen McCabe
🔵Conservative: Jason Rust
🟠Lib Dem: Louise Spence

Colinton and Fairmilehead: First Preferences
Colinton and Fairmilehead: Transfers
Colinton and Fairmilehead: Results by Polling District
Colinton and Fairmilehead: Second Preferences
Colinton and Fairmilehead: Two-Candidate Preferred

Fountainbridge and Craiglockhart (Ward 9)

Councillors and Key Stats

3 Councillors, in order elected:
🔵Conservative: Christopher Cowdy
🔴Labour: Val Walker
🟡SNP: David Key
Change vs 2017: +1 Labour, -1 Green
Turnout: 49.8%
Electorate: 18284
Valid: 9028 (99.1%)
Spoiled: 84 (0.9%)
Quota: 2854

Candidates

🔵Conservative: Christopher Cowdy
🟠Lib Dem: Fraser Graham
🟡SNP: David Key
🟤Libertarian: Gregor Masson
🟢Green: Megan McHaney
🟣Family: Fraser Ramsay
🔴Labour: Val Walker

Fountainbridge and Craiglockhart: First Preferences
Fountainbridge and Craiglockhart: Transfers
Fountainbridge and Craiglockhart: Results by Polling District
Fountainbridge and Craiglockhart: Second Preferences
Fountainbridge and Craiglockhart: Two-Candidate Preferred

Morningside (Ward 10)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🔴Labour: Mandy Watt
🟠Lib Dem: Neil Ross
🟢Green: Ben Parker
🔵Conservative: Marie-Clair Munro
Change vs 2017: No change
Turnout: 54.0%
Electorate: 25204
Valid: 13547 (99.5%)
Spoiled: 71 (0.5%)
Quota: 2710

Candidates

🟡SNP: Mairianna Clyde
Alba: Leah Gunn Barrett
🔵Conservative: Marie-Clair Munro
🟢Green: Ben Parker
🟠Lib Dem: Neil Ross
🟤Libertarian: Peter Sidor
🔴Labour: Mandy Watt

Morningside: First Preferences
Morningside: Transfers
Morningside: Results by Polling District
Morningside: Second Preferences
Morningside: Two-Candidate Preferred

City Centre (Ward 11)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🔵Conservative: Jo Mowat
🟢Green: Claire Miller
🟡SNP: Finlay McFarlane
🔴Labour: Margaret Graham
Change vs 2017: No change
Electorate: 11910
Turnout: 48.8%
Valid: 5741 (98.7%)
Spoiled: 74 (1.3%)
Quota: 1149

Candidates

Independent: Bonnie Prince Bob
Independent: Pete Carson
🟠Lib Dem: Andy Foxall
🔴Labour: Margaret Graham
Independent: Kevin Illingworth
🟡SNP: Finlay McFarlane
🟢Green: Claire Miller
🔵Conservative: Jo Mowat
🟡SNP: Marianne Mwiki
Independent: Maria Pakpahan-Campbell
Independent: Paul Penman
Independent: Norrie Rowan
Alba: Kevan Shaw

City Centre: First Preferences
City Centre: Transfers
City Centre: Results by Polling District

The five Independents with less than 1% of the vote have been combined into a single bloc for ease of display. Full data per candidate is available in the spreadsheet.

City Centre: Second Preferences

The five Independents with less than 1% of the vote have been combined into a single bloc for ease of display. Full data per candidate is available in the spreadsheet.

City Centre: Two-Candidate Preferred

Leith Walk (Ward 12)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🟢Green: Susan Rae
🟡SNP: Amy McNeese-Mechan
🔴Labour: James Dalgleish
🟠Lib Dem: Jack Caldwell
Change vs 2017: +1 Lib Dem, -1 SNP
Electorate: 26683
Turnout: 41.7%
Valid: 10996 (98.8%)
Spoiled: 134 (1.2%)
Quota: 2200

Candidates

🟠Lib Dem: Jack Caldwell
🔴Labour: James Dalgleish
🟣Family: Niel Deepnarain
🔵Conservative: Bonus Fombo
🟤Socialist Labour: David Jacobsen
🟡SNP: Amy McNeese-Mechan
🟡SNP: Rob Munn
🟤Freedom Alliance: Jon Pullman
🟢Green: Susan Rae
🟤Women’s Equality: David Renton
🟤Communist: Richard Shillcock
Alba: Joe Smith

Leith Walk: First Preferences
Leith Walk: Transfers
Leith Walk: Results by Polling District
Leith Walk: Second Preferences
Leith Walk: Two-Candidate Preferred

Leith (Ward 13)

Councillors and Key Stats

3 Councillors, in order elected:
🟡SNP: Adam McVey
🟢Green: Chas Booth
🔴Labour: Katrina Faccenda
Change vs 2017: No change
Turnout: 44.0%
Electorate: 19420
Valid: 8442 (98.8%)
Spoiled: 104 (1.2%)
Quota: 2111

Candidates

🟢Green: Chas Booth
🔴Labour: Katrina Faccenda
🟣Family: Jacqueline Isseri
Independent: Andy MacKenzie
Alba: Euan McGlynn
🟡SNP: Adam McVey
🔵Conservative: Teresa Perchard
🟠Lib Dem: Robin Rea

Leith: First Preferences
Leith: Transfers
Leith: Results by Polling District
Leith: Second Preferences
Leith: Two-Candidate Preferred

Craigentinny and Duddingston (Ward 14)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🔴Labour: Joan Griffiths
🟡SNP: Danny Aston
🔵Conservative: Iain Whyte
🟢Green: Alex Staniforth
Change vs 2017: No change
Turnout: 44.2%
Electorate: 23924
Valid: 10353 (98.0%)
Spoiled: 215 (2.0%)
Quota: 2071

Candidates

🟡SNP: Danny Aston
🟡SNP: Shelly-Ann Brown
🟠Lib Dem: Elaine Ford
🔴Labour: Joan Griffiths
🟢Green: Alex Staniforth
🔵Conservative: Iain Whyte

Craigentinny and Duddingston: First Preferences
Craigentinny and Duddingston: Transfers
Craigentinny and Duddingston: Results by Polling District
Craigentinny and Duddingston: Second Preferences
Craigentinny and Duddingston: Two-Candidate Preferred

Southside and Newington (Ward 15)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🔴Labour: Tim Pogson
🟢Green: Steve Burgess
🟡SNP: Simita Kumar
🟠Lib Dem: Pauline Flannery
Change vs 2017: +1 Lib Dem, -1 Conservative
Turnout: 53.8%
Electorate: 9066
Valid: 4841 (99.2%)
Spoiled: 40 (0.8%)
Quota: 1211

Candidates

🟢Green: Steve Burgess
🟠Lib Dem: Pauline Flannery
🟡SNP: Simita Kumar
🔴Labour: Tim Pogson
🔵Conservative: Cameron Rose

Southside and Newington: First Preferences
Southside and Newington: Transfers
Southside and Newington: Results by Polling District
Southside and Newington: Second Preferences
Southside and Newington: Two-Candidate Preferred

Liberton and Gilmerton (Ward 16)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🔴Labour: Lezley Cameron
🟡SNP: Lesley MacInnes
🔵Conservative: Philip Doggart
🟡SNP: Martha Coelho
Change vs 2017: No change
Turnout: 43.7%
Electorate: 28977
Valid: 12433 (98.2%)
Spoiled: 232 (1.8%)
Quota: 2487

Candidates

🔴Labour: Lezley Cameron
🟣Family: James Christie
🔵Conservative: Philip Doggart
🟤SSP: Colin Fox
🟡SNP: Lesley MacInnes
🟡SNP: Martha Coelho
🔴Labour: Ishrat Measom
Alba: Abu Meron
🟢Green: John Nicol
🟠Lib Dem: Madeleine Planche

Liberton and Gilmerton: First Preferences
Liberton and Gilmerton: Transfers
Liberton and Gilmerton: Results by Polling District
Liberton and Gilmerton: Second Preferences
Liberton and Gilmerton: Two-Candidate Preferred

Portobello and Craigmillar (Ward 17)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🟡SNP: Kate Campbell
🔴Labour: Jane Meagher
🟢Green: Alys Mumford
🔵Conservative: Tim Jones
Change vs 2017: No change
Turnout: 43.7%
Electorate: 26118
Valid: 11183 (97.9%)
Spoiled: 243 (2.1%)
Quota: 2237

Candidates

🟡SNP: Kate Campbell
🔵Conservative: Tim Jones
Independent: Andrew McDonald
🔴Labour: Jane Meagher
🟢Green: Alys Mumford
🔴Labour: Heather Pugh
🟠Lib Dem: Jill Reilly
🟡SNP: Simon Shedden
Alba: Anne Todd

Portobello and Craigmillar: First Preferences
Portobello and Craigmillar: Transfers
Portobello and Craigmillar: Results by Polling District
Portobello and Craigmillar: Second Preferences
Portobello and Craigmillar: Two-Candidate Preferred

Data Notes

Changes in Affiliation

Ross McKenzie (Sighthill and Gorgie) from 🔴Labour to ⚪Independent; left party during budget setting meeting in February 2023, having previously clashed with and been suspended from the group over dissatisfaction with governing arrangements with the Conservatives.

By-Elections

Corstorphine and Murrayfield (Ward 6) - 9th of March 2023

Councillors and Key Stats

1 Councillor Elected:
🟠Lib Dem: Fiona Bennett
Change vs 2022 (notional): Lib Dem Hold
Change vs vacating: Lib Dem Gain from SNP
Turnout: 42.3% (-16.5)
Electorate: 19435
Valid: 8168 (99.3%)
Spoiled: 57 (0.7%)
Quota: 4085
2 Continuing Councillors:
🟠Lib Dem: Alan Beal
🟠Lib Dem: Euan Davidson

Candidates

🟠Lib Dem: Fiona Bennett
🟣Family: Richard Fettes
🔵Conservative: Hugh Findlay
⚪Independent: Pete Gregson
⚪Independent: Elaine Miller
🔴Labour: Richard Parker
🟡SNP: Donald Rutherford
🟤Libertarian: Gary Smith
🟢Green: Chris Young

Costorphine and Murrayfield By-Election: Context

SNP councillor Frank Ross resigned from the council in December 2022, seemingly after a policy disagreement with his party.
Read the BBS pre-election preview here.
Read the BBS results analysis here.

Costorphine and Murrayfield By-Election: First Preferences
Costorphine and Murrayfield By-Election: Transfers

As the successfully elected councillor received more than 50% of the vote, she was elected without the need for any transfer rounds.

Costorphine and Murrayfield By-Election: Results by Polling District
Costorphine and Murrayfield By-Election: Second Preferences
Costorphine and Murrayfield By-Election: Two-Candidate Preferred