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| Rejected ballots '7% of the vote' | Rejected ballots '7% of the vote' |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The number of rejected ballot papers in the Scottish elections was almost 40,000 more than originally estimated, BBC's Newsnight Scotland has learned. | The number of rejected ballot papers in the Scottish elections was almost 40,000 more than originally estimated, BBC's Newsnight Scotland has learned. |
| Figures obtained from returning officers at each of Scotland's counts showed the final tally of rejected papers was almost 142,000. | Figures obtained from returning officers at each of Scotland's counts showed the final tally of rejected papers was almost 142,000. |
| Earlier estimates put the number of spoilt papers at about 100,000. | |
| The investigation suggested almost 7% of the total votes cast were not counted towards who was elected. | The investigation suggested almost 7% of the total votes cast were not counted towards who was elected. |
| The figures were obtained by Newsnight Scotland after Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander told the House of Commons he had no idea what the true number of spoilt papers was. | |
| Confusing ballot papers and the decision to hold local authority elections on the same day as the Holyrood poll have been blamed for the number of discounted votes. | Confusing ballot papers and the decision to hold local authority elections on the same day as the Holyrood poll have been blamed for the number of discounted votes. |
| The council elections were held on a separate ballot paper and under a different voting system which asked voters to use numbers to indicate their preference rather than a cross. | The council elections were held on a separate ballot paper and under a different voting system which asked voters to use numbers to indicate their preference rather than a cross. |
| Inquiry calls | Inquiry calls |
| The number of spoilt ballots caused severe delays for several counts across Scotland as election night descended into chaos. | |
| The volume of spoilt papers has also led to threats of legal action, with former minister Allan Wilson consulting Labour party solicitors after losing his Cunninghame North seat by only 48 votes to the SNP. | |
| While lawyer Mike Dailly from the Govan Law Centre has said he was considering action over the result of the Glasgow regional list. | While lawyer Mike Dailly from the Govan Law Centre has said he was considering action over the result of the Glasgow regional list. |
| An electoral commission report into the fiasco is expected to be published in the summer. | |
| SNP leader Alex Salmond has already called for a further independent inquiry into what went wrong with the electoral process. |