Guidance for Returning Officers administering a Scottish Parliament election

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Mistakes on nomination papers

Subject to your power to correct minor errors no changes can be made to a nomination paper once it has been formally delivered.

The information in this section explains how to deal with minor errors and you must have regard to this.1

You can, by law, correct minor errors made on nomination forms and regional lists at any time before you publish the statement of persons nominated or the statement of persons and parties nominated.2

You should attempt to contact the candidate, agent or Nominating Officer before making any minor error amendment.

This table sets out some of the minor errors which can be corrected and guidance about exercising your power to correct minor errors. You should contact the Scotland office for advice when considering correcting minor errors.

Type of errorGuidance
Obvious spelling errors in candidate’s detailsCare should be taken in exercising this power - what is obvious to one person may not be so to another.
Errors in a home addressWhere a home address is not absolutely correct there may not be a need to make a correction. By law, errors in a home address do not affect the full operation of a nomination form, as long as the address can be commonly understood.
Diweddarwyd ddiwethaf: 19 Tachwedd 2025