#A to Z BBC Help Terms of Use BBC Accessibility links * Skip to content * Skip to local navigation * Skip to bbc.co.uk navigation * Skip to bbc.co.uk search * Help * Accessibility Help BBC News Scotland politics * Home * UK * Africa * Asia * Europe * Latin America * Mid-East * US & Canada * Business * Health * Sci/Environment * Tech * Entertainment * Video * England * Northern Ireland * Scotland * Wales * UK Politics * Education 5 May 2011 Last updated at 00:15 GMT Share this page * Delicious * Digg * Facebook * reddit * StumbleUpon * Twitter * Email * Print Scottish election: Voters go to the polls someone coming out of a polling station Polls opened at 0700 BST throughout Scotland Continue reading the main story Scottish election * Brian Taylor's blog * Douglas Fraser's blog * SNP backbencher wins Holyrood job * MSPs swear in for new parliament Scotland goes to the polls on Thursday 5 May to elect a new Scottish government. Polling stations are open across the country from 0700 BST until 2200 BST. It follows six weeks of campaigning among the four main parties; the SNP, Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories. The Greens are contesting, along with 10 other smaller parties fielding more than five candidates each, and 22 independents are also standing. Results are expected from 0200 BST on Friday. Voters will return 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament to take their seats in the devolved body's home in Holyrood. MSPs are voted in in two different ways - 73 by constituency and 56 by regional vote. The latter system is designed to ensure the number of seats won by each party reflects the proportion of votes it received more accurately than "first-past-the-post" allows. A raft of results are expected at about 0200 BST on Friday, with another lot due about 0400 BST. The full picture on which party will form a government is not expected to fully emerge until late on Friday afternoon. BBC Scotland's election result service on TV, radio and online will run through the night on Thursday and the following day. Live updates Derek Bateman and Kenneth Macdonald will keep Radio Scotland listeners informed during the night, while Sally Magnusson and David Henderson will host the TV special. From 0600 BST Jackie Bird and Glenn Campbell will take over the election programme on BBC One Scotland. BBC Scotland's news website will follow the results story with minute-by-minute updates on its LIVE: Election page and there will also be a live stream of the TV coverage. Political editor Brian Taylor will update his blog from the studio broadcasting the live programme. And correspondents will be tweeting throughout the night and the following day. The vote is taking place on the same day as the AV referendum. A result on that is expected from between 2000 and 2200 BST on Friday. More on This Story Scottish election Latest news * Brian Taylor's blog * Douglas Fraser's blog * SNP backbencher wins Holyrood job * MSPs swear in for new parliament * Labour MSP goes for Holyrood job * Goldie not 'forced' to stand down * Q&A: Independence referendum * Scots Lib Dem leader quits post * SNP press Cameron on powers * SNP prepares to form government * Life and times of Alex Salmond * SNP and the UK Parliament * SNP sweeps to victory in Holyrood * Scottish election: As it happened * Scotland says 'no' to AV system * Lib Dems 'will listen' after loss * Salmond in olive branch to rivals * Labour crashes in Scots heartland * Tories lose out in Holyrood poll * Business leaders react to SNP win * Labour 'class of '99' lose to SNP * Narrow win for Labour's Iain Gray * Former Scots ministers lose seats * UK says 'no' to alternative vote * SNP changes political map in city * South of Scotland seats decided * Major north east success for SNP Views and analysis * Find out the result in your area * Election over, what happens next? * How does the result affect the UK? * Democracy Live: MSP profiles * Successes and stinkers * Who are the Labour losers? * Profile: Scottish National Party * Scottish election: Your views * Scottish election on Twitter * Brian Taylor's blog Audio/video * Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond Victory for 'team Scotland' - Salmond Watch Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond gives a victory address after his SNP party won an overall majority in the Scottish election. ______________________________________________________________ * Gray to stand down soon Watch * SNP achieve historic majority Watch * Election night unfolds Watch * SNP five hail Edinburgh gains Watch * SNP five hail Glasgow gains Watch * Salmond cites 'trust' of voters Watch * 'Tough night' for Lib Dems Watch * Result a 'complete shock' Watch * Sturgeon urges united Scotland Watch * Gray admits to 'bad night' Watch * Fabiani earns first SNP gain Watch Related Internet links * Scottish Conservatives Home * Scottish Labour Party * Scottish National Party * Scottish Liberal Democrats * Scottish Green Party The BBC is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites Share this page * Delicious * Digg * Facebook * reddit * StumbleUpon * Twitter * Email * Print More Scotland politics stories RSS * Wine Experts adjust booze price impact A minimum alcohol price would have a slightly smaller effect on consumption than first estimated, academics tell the Scottish government. * Bid to tackle youth unemployment * Turbine project to bring 500 jobs Top Stories * Soldiers in Free Syrian Army in Damascus (27 Jan 2012) UN action 'could spur Syria war' * Euro unemployment hits new record * Search of cruise ship abandoned * Republican rivals in Florida vote * French win India fighter jet deal Features & Analysis * Model cars and houses Golden salary What do people earning £1m ($1.5m) spend it on? ______________________________________________________________ * Planet Earth Planet mass Do rockets fired into space make the Earth lighter? ______________________________________________________________ * Occupy DC protesters shout slogans Day in pictures 24 hours of news photos from around the world ______________________________________________________________ * A foreclosure (repossession) sign in front of a house Money talks Has wealth become a liability in the US Republican race? ______________________________________________________________ Most Popular Shared 1. 1: Brits barred from US after tweet 2. 2: Skin transformed into brain cells 3. 3: Policeman who became a pole-dancer 4. 4: How 'Europe' became a dirty word in US election 5. 5: Pythons link to mammals decline Read 1. 1: Brits barred from US after tweet 2. 2: F1 driver Adrian Sutil convicted 3. 3: French win India fighter jet deal 4. 4: Navy sends destroyer to Falklands 5. 5: What do people on £1 million salaries do with their money? 6. 6: Search of cruise ship abandoned 7. 7: Pythons link to mammals decline 8. 8: Snake bursts after gobbling gator 9. 9: Is the Earth getting lighter? 10. 10: Euro unemployment hits new record Video/Audio 1. 1: Europe struggles in grip of snow Watch 2. 2: 'Shame on you Simon Cowell' Watch 3. 3: One-minute World News Watch 4. 4: Beijing's pole-dancing former policeman Watch 5. 5: One way to find a rich Russian husband Watch 6. 6: How computers help Sweden's ice sculptors Watch 7. 7: Mystery illness at US high school Watch 8. 8: Fear factor: The science behind America's red/blue divide Watch 9. 9: How to play 'kung fu' piano Watch 10. 10: Life after death faces legal battle Watch Elsewhere on BBC News * India's Tirupati Temple. 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