The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) Order 1999

Attendance at allocation of seats for regional members

61.—(1) At a contested election, the regional returning officer shall make arrangements for making the calculation and allocation referred to in rule 62 below as soon as practicable after receipt by him of the statement prepared under rule 59 above and of the notification under rule 60(3) above from each constituency returning officer in that region.

(2) No person other than–

(a) the regional returning officer and his clerks;

(b) each candidate on a registered party’s regional list;

(c) each individual candidate;

(d) the election agent of each individual candidate or registered party standing nominated, or a person acting on his behalf;

(e) the nominating officer of each registered party standing nominated,

may be present at that calculation and allocation unless permitted by the regional returning officer to attend.

(3) A person not entitled to attend the proceedings under rule 62 below shall not be permitted to do so by the regional returning officer unless he–

(a) is satisfied that the efficient conduct of those proceedings will not be impeded; and

(b) has either consulted the election agents or thought it impracticable to do so.

(4) The regional returning officer shall give to–

(a) the nominating officer and election agent of each registered party standing nominated;

(b) each individual candidate and his election agent; and

(c) each constituency returning officer for a constituency included in that region,

notice in writing of the place at which he will begin the proceedings under rule 62 below.