An independent body is carrying out a public consultation on changes to voting areas in Scotland ahead of the upcoming Holyrood election in 2026, where members of the public will vote for Members of Scottish Parliament to represent their area.
The body, Boundaries Scotland, is currently undertaking its first review of Holyrood constituencies since 2011.
However changes to constituency areas will only happen, provided they are given the approval of ministers.
Here’s everything you need to know about the potential changes.
What is happening?
The Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries started in September 2022. In early 2023 and again in April/May 2024, Boundaries Scotland consulted on proposals for constituency boundaries and names.
If the Review recommends changes in your area, your constituency may get bigger or smaller. You may even find you're voting in a new or different constituency, even though you haven't moved house.
What will change?
The consultation is only proposing changes to seven of Scotland’s eight parliamentary regions.
The review of constituencies will cover the 70 mainland constituencies. The constituencies of Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands are protected in legislation and so excluded from this review
The Mid Scotland and Fife region remains unchanged.
Under the new proposals, Central Scotland will now take in the Almond Valley and Linlithgow constituencies, as well as Whitburn, which now forms part of the Airdrie seat. Central Scotland would lose the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency.
The Hamilton seat will instead move to the South Scotland region, which loses Stewarton in Ayrshire and the newly-formed East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs constituency.
Stewarton, part of the Cunninghame South seat, will move into the West Scotland region under the plans, which will lose Renfrew, Erskine and Bishopton to the Glasgow region.
The Lothian region, meanwhile, would expand to include the East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs seat.
Both the Highlands and Islands and North East Scotland regions will see small changes to follow a new constituency boundary at Arradoul, Moray.
Why is this happening?
The population of different areas changes over time, but it's important that each MSP is elected by roughly the same number of people.
Boundaries Scotland undertakes reviews of Scottish Parliament boundaries every 8-12 years to ensure each region or constituency has an equal number of electors.
When is the consultation running?
The consultation on the changes will run from September 26 to October 26.
Which seats would change names?
Under the proposals, there is nine areas set to change name. They are:
- Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine;
- Almond Valley;
- East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs;
- Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith;
- Glasgow Anniesland;
- Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston;
- Glasgow Cathcart and Pollock;
- Glasgow Easterhouse and Springburn;
- Glasgow Kelvin and Maryhill.
What seats are seeing boundary changes?
14 seats will some small boundary changes. They are:
- Airdrie;
- Cumbernauld and Kilsyth;
- Edinburgh Central;
- Edinburgh Southern;
- Edinburgh South Western;
- Edinburgh Northern;
- Edinburgh North Western;
- Glasgow Central;
- Inverness and Nairn;
- Paisley;
- Renfrewshire West;
- Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch;
- Uddingston and Bellshill;
- Eastwood
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