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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Clue over voter ballot confusion | Clue over voter ballot confusion |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Another clue has emerged as to why more than 140,000 ballots were rejected in the Scottish elections. | Another clue has emerged as to why more than 140,000 ballots were rejected in the Scottish elections. |
| BBC Scotland has established that voters in two of the biggest cities did not receive the ballot papers they had been led to expect. | BBC Scotland has established that voters in two of the biggest cities did not receive the ballot papers they had been led to expect. |
| The papers had been redesigned after the nominations closed to cope with the high number of parties and individuals. | The papers had been redesigned after the nominations closed to cope with the high number of parties and individuals. |
| The rate of rejected Holyrood ballots was high across Scotland but highest in the Glasgow and Edinburgh areas. | The rate of rejected Holyrood ballots was high across Scotland but highest in the Glasgow and Edinburgh areas. |
| The BBC's Newsnight Scotland programme has established a significant link between this high number of rejected papers and a decision taken soon after nominations closed to change the ballot paper. | The BBC's Newsnight Scotland programme has established a significant link between this high number of rejected papers and a decision taken soon after nominations closed to change the ballot paper. |
| In Lothian and Glasgow, no fewer than 23 parties and individuals were vying for the list vote. | In Lothian and Glasgow, no fewer than 23 parties and individuals were vying for the list vote. |
| It was feared there would be too many on the ballot paper to permit electronic counting. | It was feared there would be too many on the ballot paper to permit electronic counting. |
| Polling booths | Polling booths |
| So in both regions arrows designed to help voters put one cross in each column were scrapped. | So in both regions arrows designed to help voters put one cross in each column were scrapped. |
| It meant thousands of voters went to the polling booths expecting to see one design of ballot paper and were faced with another. | It meant thousands of voters went to the polling booths expecting to see one design of ballot paper and were faced with another. |
| In the 2003 election, the list vote for Holyrood said there were just over 1,200 rejected ballots across Glasgow. | In the 2003 election, the list vote for Holyrood said there were just over 1,200 rejected ballots across Glasgow. |
| In this month's vote, there were 9,000 and the differential in the constituency vote was even bigger. | In this month's vote, there were 9,000 and the differential in the constituency vote was even bigger. |
| The Scotland Office, which was responsible for the election, said it was waiting for a review by the Electoral Commission. | |
| 'Crossed wires' | 'Crossed wires' |
| A Scotland Office spokesman said: "The Electoral Commission today announced the appointment of the electoral expert Ron Gould to lead an independent review of the Scottish elections. | A Scotland Office spokesman said: "The Electoral Commission today announced the appointment of the electoral expert Ron Gould to lead an independent review of the Scottish elections. |
| "The design of the ballot paper will form a significant part of that wide-ranging inquiry with which the Scotland Office will co-operate fully." | "The design of the ballot paper will form a significant part of that wide-ranging inquiry with which the Scotland Office will co-operate fully." |
| Mr Gould, a Canadian expert who has overseen elections in more than 70 countries, said: "I hope my review will help ensure that the people of Scotland can be confident that any lessons are learned for the future." | Mr Gould, a Canadian expert who has overseen elections in more than 70 countries, said: "I hope my review will help ensure that the people of Scotland can be confident that any lessons are learned for the future." |
| Professor David McCrone, of the Institute of Governance at Edinburgh University, said: "Someone should carry the can and indeed a number of people are going to have to carry the can. | Professor David McCrone, of the Institute of Governance at Edinburgh University, said: "Someone should carry the can and indeed a number of people are going to have to carry the can. |
| "One of the difficulties is that it is not clear who has responsibilty for this. | "One of the difficulties is that it is not clear who has responsibilty for this. |
| "There is a large number of crossed wires in this whole exercise and all that's going to have to be sorted out." | "There is a large number of crossed wires in this whole exercise and all that's going to have to be sorted out." |