How to Become an MSP

Most candidates are sponsored by a political party but there is nothing to stop you forming your own political party and putting yourself forward for election.

Or you could stand as an independent candidate, with no party affiliation.

Under the Additional Member System (AMS) used in Scottish Parliamentary elections, candidates can stand as Constituency candidates or Regional candidates.

The official steps to becoming an MSP are:

1. Official nomination is submitted to Returning Officer in the relevant Constituency or Region
2. Deposit is paid for each nomination
3. If nomination is valid, name appears on ballot paper
4. Candidate (or party on the regional list) appoints Election Agent
5. Candidate (and party in respect of the Regional election) and supporters campaign for votes
6. Votes are cast in the election using the Additional Member System (AMS).

Detailed guidance for prospective candidates and Election Agents is available from the Electoral Commission.

In the meantime, read on for more details about:

• Nominations
• Election Agents
• Campaign Material
• Election Expenses

Nominations

To stand for election to a particular Constituency or Region, a nomination paper must be submitted to the Returning Officer in the relevant Constituency or Region on behalf of the candidate or registered political party.

The candidate must agree to the nomination in writing for it to be valid.

The candidate must also declare that he or she is not disqualified from standing. It is a serious offence to include false information on the nomination or consent to nomination, and a person found guilty of such an offence may face imprisonment for up to a year or an unlimited fine.

A deposit of £500 is required for each nomination, payable by legal tender or bankers' draft. Other means of payment are at the discretion of the Returning Officer.

The nomination paper for a Constituency candidate and individual Regional candidate must contain:

• The candidate's full name
• Full home address
• If he or she is standing as the candidate of a registered political party
• A description of not more than six words if standing on behalf of a registered political party. If not, only the word ‘Independent’ can be used.
• This description will appear on the ballot paper. If a description is submitted, it must be accompanied by a certificate of authorisation from that registered party's Nominating Officer

A registered emblem of the party can also appear on the ballot paper if it is requested in writing.

The nomination paper for a regional party list must contain:

• The full names and home addresses of each candidate included in that list in the order in which they will be allocated a regional seat
• A description of not more than six words

Full details on how nominations are handled are available from the Returning Officer for the appropriate Constituency or Region.

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Election Agents

An Election Agent must be appointed for each Constituency candidate and for each list of candidates or individual candidate standing on the Regional list.

The Election Agent is responsible for the proper management of the candidate's or party's campaign.

Candidates can choose to act as their own Election Agent.

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Campaign Material

Campaign publicity material is subject to a number of restrictions under electoral law, and is also subject to the general civil and criminal law relating to published material.

All posters, placards and bills that refer to the election must carry an imprint on the face giving the name and address of each of the printer, the publisher, and the promoter of the material.

This also applies to all printed material distributed to promote the election of a candidate.

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Election Expenses

There is legal limit on the amount candidates can spend on election campaigns. The figure is a maximum. Candidates don't have to spend up to the limit.

Limits for candidates at Scottish Parliamentary elections are:

• For a Constituency candidate in a county constituency (including Orkney or Shetland): £5,761 plus 6.5 pence for every entry in Register of Electors
• For a Constituency candidate in a county constituency (including Orkney or Shetland): £7,150 plus 7 pence for every entry in Register of Electors For a Constituency candidate in a burgh constituency: £7,150 plus 5 pence for every entry in the Register of Electors
• For a Regional candidate: the maximum amount for each constituency in the region (calculated according to the limits given above) added together