Meeting of the Parliament 14 May 2026 [Draft]
Voting in the third round of the election of the Presiding Officer is closed. I invite any scrutineers appointed by the candidates to go to the back of the chamber to observe the counting of ballot papers. Candidates may also observe the count.
In this round of voting in the election of the Presiding Officer, the number of votes cast for each candidate was as follows: Kenneth Gibson 74 and Clare Haughey 54. There was one abstention. There were no spoiled papers.
Accordingly, as Kenneth Gibson has received more votes than the total number of votes received by the other candidates, and as more than 25 per cent of members have voted, Kenneth Gibson is elected as Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament. [Applause.]
I thank the other candidates. [Applause.]
I call Kenneth Gibson, the newly elected Presiding Officer, to take the chair for the remainder of this meeting of the Parliament. [Applause.]