Voting underway in two council by-elections

Voting got underway in two council by-elections on Thursday to establish who will take the Lerwick South and Shetland Central seats.

A total of five polling stations were opened – in Burra, Tingwall and Scalloway for the Shetland Central poll, and in Gulberwick Hall and Gilbertson Park for Lerwick South.

The doors opened at 7am on Thursday morning, with voting due to run until 10pm.

Voters were being asked to list their preferred candidates from one to five, and are free to rank as many – or as few – as they like.

Votes will be counted in the town hall on Friday, with a declaration expected before noon.

Papers will be counted electronically – the same method used in the 2017 council elections.

It follows a Lerwick South hustings debate on Saturday, in which poverty and climate change dominated discussions.

The candidates in Shetland Central are: Julie Buchan (independent), Johan Adamson (independent), Stewart Douglas (SNP), Moraig Lyall (independent) and Gordon Laverie (independent).

Those standing in Lerwick South are: Gary Robinson (independent), Frances Valente (independent), Arwed Wenger (independent), Caroline Henderson (independent) and Stephen Flaws (independent).