List of by-elections to the Scottish Parliament

Scottish Parliament Building and adjacent water pool, 2017

The Scottish Parliament is the devolved legislature of Scotland. It was founded in 1999. The 129 members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) are elected using the additional member system. 73 MSPs are elected through the first-past-the-post system in the Parliament's single-member constituencies, while 56 are elected in the regions to ensure results are proportional. There are 8 regions, electing 7 MSPs each. By-elections to the Parliament occur when a constituency seat becomes vacant, due to the death or resignation of a member.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

There were no by-elections in the 3rd Scottish Parliament term (2007–11).

By-elections

Where seats changed political party at the by-election, the result is highlighted: pink for a Labour gain, and blue for a Conservative gain

List of by-elections for constituency members

Parliament	By-election	Date	Incumbent	Party		Winner	Party		Cause	Ref
6th	Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse	5 June 2025	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Davy Russell	Template:Party name with color	Death (breast cancer)	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
5th	Shetland	29 August 2019	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Resignation (to take a new role at Scottish Rugby)	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire	8 June 2017	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Resignation (to contest a seat in the 2017 UK general election)	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
4th	Cowdenbeath	23 January 2014	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Death (cancer)	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Dunfermline	24 October 2013	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with colorTemplate:Efn	Resignation (convicted of assault)	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Aberdeen Donside	20 June 2013	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Death (cancer)	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2nd	Moray	27 April 2006	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Death (breast cancer)	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Glasgow Cathcart	29 September 2005	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Resignation (convicted of fire-raising)	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1st	Banff and Buchan	7 June 2001	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Resignation (to focus on the Parliament of the United Kingdom)	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Strathkelvin and Bearsden	7 June 2001	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Resignation (health reasons)	<ref name=2001elections/>
	Glasgow Anniesland	23 November 2000	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Death (brain hemorrhage)	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Ayr	16 March 2000	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with color	Template:Sortname	Template:Party name with colorTemplate:Efn	Resignation (family reasons)	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

See also

• Regional member changes in the Scottish Parliament
• List of by-elections to the Senedd
• Elections in Scotland