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THE DECLARATION OF THE TOWN’S NEW MSP IS EXPECTED TO BE MADE IN THE EARLY HOURS OF FRIDAY MORNING. 22:12, 05 Jun 2025Updated 23:49, 05 Jun 2025 Polls have closed and votes are currently

being counted in the Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse by-election. Ballot boxes from 63 polling stations at 26 venues across the constituency have been transported to South Lanarkshire

Council’s headquarters in Hamilton where the declaration of the town’s new MSP is expected to be made in the early hours of Friday morning. The first ballot boxes arrived at the count centre

at 10.23pm, from the voting venues at Udston Primary and Hillhouse & Earnock community centre, with dozens more then beginning to arrive in quick succession. DOWNLOAD THE LANARKSHIRE

LIVE APP TODAY The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now. Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery

from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7. The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the

sections that matter most to you. Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android The high-profile election has been the focus of considerable national political

attention, coming just 10 months before the Holyrood general election, and saw numerous campaign visits from party leaders John Swinney, Anas Sarwar, Nigel Farage, Russell Findlay and Alex

Cole-Hamilton as well as a host of MSPs and MPs from all parties. A total of 10 candidates appeared on the ballot paper for the constituency election – Collette Bradley (Scottish Socialist

Party); Andy Brady (Scottish Family Party); Ross Lambie (Reform); Katy Loudon (SNP); Janice MacKay (UKIP); Ann McGuinness (Green); Aisha Mir (Liberal Democrats); Richard Nelson

(Conservative); Davy Russell (Labour); and Marc Wilkinson (independent). Article continues below Those in attendance at the early stages of the count include Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie

Baillie, Lanarkshire SNP MSPs Jamie Hepburn and Clare Haughey, and numerous supporters from Reform, the Conservatives and the Scottish Greens. Vote counting began as soon as polls closed at

10pm, with boxes of postal ballots the first to be opened, and the result will be declared by returning officer Paul Manning, the chief executive of South Lanarkshire Council. The

by-election follows the death in March of long-serving constituency MSP Christina McKelvie, who had held the seat for the SNP since 2011. _*DON'T MISS THE LATEST HEADLINES FROM AROUND

LANARKSHIRE. SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTERS HERE._ _AND DID YOU KNOW LANARKSHIRE LIVE HAD ITS OWN APP? DOWNLOAD YOURS FOR FREE HERE._ Article continues belowREAD MORE: South Lanarkshire Council

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