Caithness, Sutherland and Ross (Scottish Parliament constituency)

Caithness, Sutherland and Ross (Gaelic: Gallaibh, Cataibh agus Ros) is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament covering the northern part of the Highland council area. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It is also one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to eight constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

Caithness, Sutherland and Ross
County constituency
for the Scottish Parliament
Caithness, Sutherland and Ross shown within the Highlands and Islands electoral region and the region shown within Scotland
Population69,767 (2019)[1]
Current constituency
Created2011
PartyScottish National Party
MSPMaree Todd
Council areaHighland
Created fromCaithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross,
Ross, Skye & Inverness West

The constituency was formed for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, and replaced Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross and part of Ross, Skye and Inverness West.

The seat has been held by Maree Todd of the Scottish National Party since the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.

Electoral region

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The Caithness, Sutherland and Ross constituency is part of the Highlands and Islands electoral region; the other seven constituencies are Argyll and Bute, Inverness and Nairn, Moray, Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Orkney, Shetland and Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.

The eight constituencies of the Highlands and Islands electoral region cover most of Argyll and Bute council area, all of the Highland council area, most of the Moray council area, all of the Orkney Islands council area, all of the Shetland Islands council area and all of Na h-Eileanan Siar.

Constituency boundaries and council area

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The Highland (council area) is represented in the Scottish Parliament by three constituencies. These are: Caithness, Sutherland and Ross; Inverness and Nairn and Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.

The electoral wards used to create the re-drawn Caithness, Sutherland and Ross are:

Member of the Scottish Parliament

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Election Member Party
2011 Rob Gibson SNP
2016 Gail Ross
2021 Maree Todd

Election results

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Caithness, Sutherland & Ross election results 1999-2021

2020s

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2021 Scottish Parliament election: Caithness, Sutherland and Ross[2][3]
Party Candidate Constituency Regional
Votes % ±% Votes % ±%
SNP Maree Todd[a] 15,889 43.1  0.2 14,201 38.5  1.3
Liberal Democrats Molly Nolan 13,298 36.1  5.0 7,818 21.2  4.2
Conservative Struan Mackie 5,170 14.0  1.3 7,905 21.4  1.7
Labour Marion Donaldson 2,016 5.5  4.9 2,745 7.4  3.3
Scottish Green 2,052 5.6  0.4
Alba 640 1.7 New
Independent Andy Wightman[b] 461 1.2 New
Scottish Family 235 0.6 New
All for Unity 227 0.6 New
Freedom Alliance (UK) Tina McCaffery 289 0.8 New 115 0.3 New
Scottish Libertarian Harry Christian 222 0.6 New 131 0.4 New
Abolish the Scottish Parliament 121 0.3 New
Reform UK 103 0.3 New
UKIP 67 0.2  2.9
TUSC 54 0.1 New
Restore Scotland 39 0.1 New
Independent Hazel Mansfield 17 0.0 New
Majority 2,591 7.0  5.2
Valid Votes 36,884 36,931
Invalid Votes 101 63
Turnout 36,985 64.8  6.2 36,994 64.9  6.2
SNP hold Swing  2.6
Notes
  1. ^ Incumbent member on the party list, or for another constituency
  2. ^ Incumbent member on the list for Lothian region, having been elected as a member of the Scottish Greens in 2016

2010s

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2016 Scottish Parliament election: Caithness, Sutherland and Ross[4]
Party Candidate Constituency Regional
Votes % ±% Votes % ±%
SNP Gail Ross 13,937 43.3  5.1 12,853 39.8  6.3
Liberal Democrats Jamie Stone 10,024 31.1  8.8 5,499 17.0  2.7
Conservative Struan Mackie 4,912 15.3  5.0 6,361 19.7  10.5
Labour Leah Franchetti 3,334 10.4  8.6 3,467 10.7  5.1
Scottish Green 1,951 6.0  1.4
UKIP 1,005 3.1  1.5
Scottish Christian 494 1.5  0.5
Independent James Stockan 380 1.2 New
RISE 182 0.6 New
Solidarity 110 0.3  0.2
Majority 3,913 12.2  17.2
Valid Votes 32,207 32,302
Invalid Votes 137 59
Turnout 32,344 58.6  6.5 32,361 58.7  6.6
SNP hold Swing  7.0
2011 Scottish Parliament election: Caithness, Sutherland and Ross[5]
Party Candidate Constituency Regional
Votes % ±% Votes % ±%
SNP Rob Gibson[a] 13,843 48.4 N/A 13,185 46.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats Robbie Rowantree 6,385 22.3 N/A 4,081 14.3 N/A
Labour John MacKay 5,438 19.0 N/A 4,523 15.8 N/A
Conservative Edward Mountain 2,934 10.3 N/A 2,647 9.2 N/A
Scottish Green 1,327 4.6 N/A
All-Scotland Pensioners Party 650 2.3 N/A
Scottish Christian 583 2.0 N/A
UKIP 469 1.6 N/A
Socialist Labour 253 0.9 N/A
BNP 179 0.6 N/A
Scottish Socialist 77 0.3 N/A
Solidarity 20 0.1 N/A
Others 623 2.2 N/A
Majority 7,458 29.4 N/A
Valid Votes 28,600 28,617
Invalid Votes 142 126
Turnout 28,742 52.1 N/A 28,743 52.1 N/A
SNP win (new seat)
Notes
  1. ^ Incumbent member on the party list, or for another constituency

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Scottish Parliamentary Constituency (SPC) Population Estimates (2011 Data Zone based), National Records of Scotland; retrieved 6 May 2021 (accompanying summary notes)
  2. ^ Butlin, Heather. "Scottish Parliamentary Elections". www.highland.gov.uk.
  3. ^ "Scottish Parliamentary Elections: 2021 Results". The Highland Council. Archived from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  4. ^ Council, The Highland. "The Highland Council download - Scottish Parliamentary election 2016 | Council and government | Politicians, elections and democracy | Elections and voting". www.highland.gov.uk.
  5. ^ "Results and turnout at the 2016 Scottish Parliament election". The Electoral Commission. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
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