Guidance for Returning Officers administering a Scottish Parliament election

You should consider any objection that you receive during the allowed time for objections to be made. You should not undertake any investigation or hear any representations in support of or challenging any fact or statement given on the nomination form or regional party list.

For information on the grounds of which you may hold a nomination form invalid see our guidance determining a nomination invalid – Constituency election and determining a nomination invalid – Regional election.

You must decide any objection as soon as practicable after it is made and in any event within 24 hours after the close of nominations.1

Where you decide that, as a result of an objection, a nomination or regional party list you have already determined should have been ruled invalid, you must show on the statement of persons nominated or the statement of persons and parties nominated any candidate or party who is no longer validly nominated together with the reason why they no longer stand nominated.

You should inform the candidate and/or party as appropriate.2