Guidance for Returning Officers administering a Scottish Parliament election

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Formal delivery

Once a nomination paper has been formally delivered, no changes can be subsequently made to it (subject to your power to correct minor errors). For more information see our guidance on mistakes on nomination papers.

You should endorse each form with the date and time of formal delivery, so that you have a record of when each paper was formally submitted. You could also consider providing a written receipt to the person making the formal delivery to confirm that:

  • they have formally delivered the nomination paper
  • the RO has not yet formally determined the nomination paper
  • the RO will send a written notice to the candidate's home address confirming the outcome of that determination once made 

If a candidate or party later decides that they want to make changes to their nomination paper, for example to the description, this can only be done by withdrawing and submitting new nomination papers within the statutory timeframe.

Diweddarwyd ddiwethaf: 9 Tachwedd 2026