Current MSP: John Scott (Conservative) [MSP website]
Party Candidate Votes +/– % +/–
Conservative John Scott * 12997 -823 38.9 -1.0
SNP Chic Brodie 11884 +2783 35.6 +9.3
Labour Gordon Shearer McKenzie 7779 -1666 23.3 -4.0
Liberal Democrat Eileen Taylor # 713 -1300 2.1 -3.7
Majority 1113 Turnout 33373 Swing +5.2% CON hold
Conservative MSP John Scott won this seat initially in Holyrood’s first ever by-election in March 2000. He has a dedicated following in Ayr, as he has received between 12,997 and 12,580 votes in each of the four elections that he has fought in this constituency. The SNP were a close second, repeating their close finish from the 2000 by-election, and Chic Brodie was returned as a list MSP for South of Scotland. Following the election John Scott was elected one of Holyrood’s two Deputy Presiding Officers.

Notes: Given boundary changes since 2007, variations in votes and share between seats with different boundaries would be misleading. We use the Denver figures, essentially a calculation of the 2007 votes cast within 2011 boundaries. More information on this here.

Symbols used:

* – Incumbent
^ – Challenger holding a list seat in previous Parliament
# – Lost deposit
National Central Scotland Glasgow Highlands & Islands Lothian Mid-Scotland & Fife North East Scotland South Scotland West Scotland
Ayr Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley Clydesdale Dumfriesshire East Lothian Ettrick, Roxburgh & Berwickshire Galloway & West Dumfries Kilmarnock & Irvine Valley Midlothian South, Tweeddale & Lauderdale