Nominations for the SNP leadership race have closed – with party members to choose from three declared candidates.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and former community safety minister Ash Regan will have their names on the ballot paper to replace Nicola Sturgeon.
Candidates were required to get at least 100 nominations from at least 20 local party branches to advance.
Members will then be asked to vote using the single transferable vote (STV) system, with a winner announced on March 27.
The first full week of the contest has focused on the candidates’ views on social issues, with Ms Forbes losing support from members and MSPs after saying she would not have voted in favour of equal marriage had she been in Holyrood in 2014, nor would she have voted for the Scottish Government’s gender reforms in December.
Read more: SNP politicians drop Kate Forbes support after gay rights opposition
After coming under pressure to quit the race, Ms Forbes looked to shift the focus, saying in a statement on Thursday she was “burdened” by the offence her comments caused, before saying she plans to allow SNP members to be more involved in policy making if elected.
Writing in the Times today, Ms Forbes claimed she wants to “lead Scotland into better days” – but also insisted the country must have tolerance as its “ruling ethic”.
Mr Yousaf, seen as the continuity candidate by many, has had questions raised over his integrity after his account of missing a key vote on gay marriage was labelled “not true” by the SNP cabinet minister in charge at the time.
Read more: Former SNP minister challenges Yousaf's gay marriage vote excuse
Ms Regan launched her campaign officially in North Queensferry this morning.
Ahead of the launch, she claimed the SNP has “dismantled” the Yes movement since the independence referendum, pledging she will return the independence movement “back to the people”.
In the early days of his campaign, Mr Yousaf has proven to be the popular choice among elected members, with senior MSPs such as Shirley-Anne Somerville, Jenny Gilruth, Maree Todd and Neil Gray – who ruled out his own bid for the top job – pledging their support to the Health Secretary.
Read more: 'I'll hand independence back to the Yes movement' – vows Ash Regan
The Finance Secretary gained endorsements from ministers Tom Arthur and Clare Haughey, among others, before her comments prompted a re-think.
However, she retains the support of business minister Ivan McKee and senior SNP MSP Annabelle Ewing.
Ms Regan’s public support among senior party figures has thus far been limited to MP and fellow SNP rebel Joanna Cherry.
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