At the May 2026 Scottish Parliamentary election, there are two separate regulated periods. We call these the ‘long campaign’ and the ‘short campaign’.
You must not exceed the spending limit for each period. You will also need to keep separate records for each period because the spending is reported separately.
Long campaign
The long campaign begins on 7 January 2026.
It will end on the day that you officially become a candidate.1
Short campaign
The short campaign begins on the day after the date you officially become a candidate, and ends on polling day, 7 May 2026.2
When does a person officially become a candidate?
The earliest date you can officially become a candidate is Thursday 26 March 2026.3
You will become a candidate on this date if you or others have already announced your intention to stand.4
For example, your party may have issued a press release when you were selected, you might have mentioned your intention at a residents’ meeting, or you may have already begun campaigning.
If your intention to stand has not been announced by 26 March 2026, you will officially become a candidate on the earlier of: