This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/6622379.stm

The article has changed 24 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Concern over spoilt voting papers Concern over spoilt voting papers
(40 minutes later)
An unprecedented number of rejected ballot papers recorded across the country has prompted questions over Scotland's voting systems. An unprecedented number of spoilt ballot papers recorded across the country has prompted questions over Scotland's voting systems.
Thousands of spoilt ballot papers have failed to make the final count in constituencies. Thousands of papers have failed to make the final count, with fears that the national figure could exceed 100,000.
In Airdrie, Labour's majority of 1,446 was less than the 1,536 rejected ballots.In Airdrie, Labour's majority of 1,446 was less than the 1,536 rejected ballots.
Politicians, including SNP leader Alex Salmond, have criticised the voting arrangements.
There were 1,850 spoilt papers in Glasgow Baillieston and 1,736 in the city's Anniesland constituency.There were 1,850 spoilt papers in Glasgow Baillieston and 1,736 in the city's Anniesland constituency.
Voters were presented with two ballot papers and two voting systems - one for the Holyrood elections and the other for local authority elections - the latter under the new Single Transferable Vote system.Voters were presented with two ballot papers and two voting systems - one for the Holyrood elections and the other for local authority elections - the latter under the new Single Transferable Vote system.
BBC Scotland political editor Brian Taylor said confusion over the new STV system could be having an impact on the level of rejected votes.BBC Scotland political editor Brian Taylor said confusion over the new STV system could be having an impact on the level of rejected votes.
REJECTED PAPERS Airdrie and Shotts 1,536Cumbernauld and Kilsyth 803Dumfries 1,006Dundee East 913Dundee West 978Glasgow Anniesland 1,736Glasgow Baillieston 1,850Glasgow Kelvin 1,195Motherwell and Wishaw 970 Salmond attacks voting system
He said: "The level is running way ahead of past outcomes. But don't blame the electronic counting - at least, that's the view of the company who supplied the counting machines. They insist their system is working."He said: "The level is running way ahead of past outcomes. But don't blame the electronic counting - at least, that's the view of the company who supplied the counting machines. They insist their system is working."
Travel problems During his acceptance speech as the new MSP for the Gordon constituency, Mr Salmond criticised the voting arrangements and also earlier problems with postal voting.
Toby Ballion, from DRS, the company which operates the electronic counting machines, said the large number of spoilt ballots was not caused by his equipment. He said: ""The postal voting arrangements for this election across Scotland were totally inadequate.
"It is also the case that the decision to conduct an STV election at the same time as a first-past-the-post ballot for the Scottish Parliament was deeply mistaken.
"As a direct result, tens of thousands of votes across Scotland have been discounted. That is totally unacceptable in a democratic society"
David Henderson, who worked as an information officer at Thornwood Primary School in the Glasgow Kelvin constituency, said he had "no doubt" that the decision to hold two elections under different voting systems on the same day had led to the high number of spoiled votes.
In a response to BBC Scotland political editor Brian Taylor's blog, he wrote: "I would say 60% of people coming into our polling station were unsure of how to vote.
"I'm sure the electoral commission will find that spoiled ballots were due to either to 'x's' or '1's' and '2's' on the wrong ballot paper.
"This is wholly unacceptable."
Toby Ballion, from DRS, the company that operates the electronic counting machines, said the large number of spoilt ballots was not caused by his equipment.
He called for the Scottish Executive to look at the way the ballot papers were designed.He called for the Scottish Executive to look at the way the ballot papers were designed.
In Glenrothes and East Kilbride, technical problems resulted in serious delays to outcomes being announced.
Counts from two islands are also being delayed due to travel problems.
In the Western Isles fog prevented a helicopter taking ballot boxes from Barra and a boat from Arran broke down in the Clyde causing a delayed outcome for voters.