New Election Candidate List Released Following 'Software Error'

Revisions to Candidate Lists for Holyrood Election

The Scottish Greens have had to revise their candidate lists for the upcoming Holyrood election after an error was discovered in the way selection votes were counted. This issue has led to significant internal discussions and a change in leadership within the party.

Initially, the results were announced on Monday, but this caused some controversy among members, leading to the resignation of the party's internal election officer. The revised lists maintain the same candidates at the top positions, with most of the party’s current Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) securing key spots that make re-election more likely.

However, there are notable changes further down the lists for Edinburgh and Lothian East and South Scotland. Some members have been moved up or down the rankings, which could impact their chances of being elected. Under the electoral system used for Holyrood, parties rank their candidates on regional lists. The higher a candidate appears on the list, the greater their chance of becoming an MSP.

Members raised questions about several internal results, including those of the current co-leader, Patrick Harvie, and North East MSP Maggie Chapman, who did not secure the top spot in her election. The party has attributed the error to a "software error" at an external company responsible for processing the votes. Mi-Voice, the company involved, has apologized for the inconvenience and concern caused by the third-party software.

A Scottish Greens spokesperson stated that party officials were assured on Monday afternoon that the counting had been completed and confirmed to meet the standards requested under internal party rules. However, following further investigation, the software error was detected in an external program used to count votes. The party became aware of this issue on Tuesday morning.

The spokesperson added: "Party officials were not aware of this error at the time of previous statements, and had been reassured by the third-party provider on Monday afternoon that all counting had been completed and verified. Following a full revised count with oversight and verification from current party officials and those involved in previous Holyrood selections, we can confirm our full list of candidates for the Holyrood 2026 campaign."

All of the previously announced 15 lead candidates remain duly selected and will continue to lead the party's campaign to elect a record number of MSPs. The party acknowledged it had been a "stressful process" for candidates and members and thanked them for their "vigilance, patience and trust."

Apology from Mi-Voice

Mi-Voice 'sincerely apologise' for anomalies. Simon Thomson, director of Mi-Voice, said a review triggered by concerned party officials identified a "technical fault" with the vote counting software. Mr. Thomson said the party was notified at 10:00 on Tuesday and the issue was reported to the software vendor.

He also confirmed the updated candidate lists then underwent "additional manual validation" to ensure they represented "the final and accurate outcome." Mr. Thomson said: "We acknowledge the concern this has raised for party members and candidates. We understand the frustration and confusion, and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and concern it has caused."

Internal Election Officer Resigns

On Tuesday, Kate Joester, who was the party's internal elections officer, said she had not spotted the issue when the figures were first sent to her. She initially endorsed a statement from the party reassuring campaigners that there were "no realistic doubts" about the outcomes. But after quitting her post, Joester said she should not have given her backing amid concerns about how some votes were cast.

Co-Leader Secures Top Spot

Patrick Harvie, the co-leader of the Scottish Greens, successfully secured the top election spot despite challenges from other members of the party. This move highlights his strong position within the party and his influence in the upcoming election campaign.