Shetland Islands Council elections

Shetland Islands Council in Scotland holds elections every five years, previously holding them every four years from its creation as a single-tier authority in 1995 to 2007.

Council elections

Year Labour Liberal Democrats Shetland Movement Independent
1974 4 0 0 18
1978[a] 4 0 0 21
1982 2 0 0 23
1986 4 0 5 16
1990 1 0 7 17[b]
1994[c] 1 2 6 17[b]
  1. ^ New ward boundaries.[1]
  2. ^ a b Includes 1 Independent Labour.
  3. ^ New ward boundaries.[2]

As a unitary authority

Year Green Labour SNP Liberal Democrats Independent
1999 0 0 0 9 13[a]
2003 0 0 0 5 17
2007[b] 0 0 0 0 22
2012 0 0 0 0 22
2017[c] 0 0 1 0 21
2022[d] 1 1 1 0 20[e]
  1. ^ Includes 1 Independent Liberal.
  2. ^ Change to single transferable vote system and new ward boundaries.
  3. ^ New ward boundaries.[3]
  4. ^ New ward boundaries.[4]
  5. ^ Includes 1 seat vacant through insufficient nominations, filled at a by-election on 4 August.[5]

Results maps

By-elections

2007-2012

Lerwick South By-Election 28 February 2008[6]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Independent Jonathan Wills 25.1 332 335 350 361 402 462 576
Independent Peter Campbell 17.6 233 240 246 272 317 370 465
Independent Lyle Williamson 17.2 228 229 234 245 286 337  
Independent Robbie Leith 13.8 183 188 204 216 228    
Conservative Maurice Mullay 12.8 169 171 177 199      
Independent Geoff Feather 6.6 87 91 96        
Independent Larry Deyell 4.8 63 66          
Independent Vic Thomas 2.2 29            
Independent hold
Electorate: 3,382   Valid: 1,324   Spoilt: 7   Quota: 663   Turnout: 1,331  
Shetland Central By-Election 15 December 2011[7]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2
Independent David Sandison 48.4 332 352
Independent Stephen Morgan 16.9 116 124
Independent Ian Scott 15.6 107 115
Independent Robert Williamson 10.9 75 81
Conservative Clive Richardson 4.2 29  
Independent Scotty van der Tol 3.9 27  
Independent hold
Electorate: 2,300   Valid: 686   Spoilt: 4   Quota: 344   Turnout: 690  

2022-2027

North Isles By-Election 4 August 2022[8]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1
Independent Robert Thomson 68.6 680
Independent Sonia Robertson 10.7 106
Independent Gary Cleaver 10.1 100
Independent Marie Williamson 9.3 92
Independent Stewart Douglas 1.3 13
Independent gain from vacancy
Valid: 991   Spoilt: 6   Quota: 496   Turnout: 997  
Shetland West By-Election 17 November 2022[9]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1
Independent Mark Robinson 76.4 375
Green Debra Nicolson 13.6 67
SNP Zara Pennington 10.0 49
Independent hold
Valid: 491   Spoilt: 2   Quota: 246   Turnout: 493  
Shetland North By-Election 23 January 2025[10]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1
Independent Andrew Hall 90.4 887
Independent Natasha Cornick 9.6 94
Independent gain from Labour
Valid: 981   Spoilt: 5   Quota: 492   Turnout: 986  

References

  1. ^ "Initial Statutory Reviews of Electoral Arrangements". National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  2. ^ "Second Statutory Reviews of Electoral Arrangements". National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  3. ^ "Fifth Statutory Review of Electoral Arrangements Final Recommendations - Shetland Islands Council Area" (PDF). Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  4. ^ "Shetland Islands Council Area Final Proposals" (PDF). Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  5. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — North Isles Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  6. ^ "Lerwick South (Shetland) 28 th February 2008". Archived from the original on 29 August 2008. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  7. ^ "www.kristoferkeane.co.uk – Scottish Elections :: Shetland Central By-Election 2011". Archived from the original on 3 August 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  8. ^ "Declaration of Results Report North Isles Ward". Shetland Islands Council. 5 August 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Declaration of Results Ward 3 Shetland West". Shetland Islands Council. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Shetland Islands Council – Shetland North Ward - By-Election – 23 January 2025". Shetland Islands Council. Retrieved 27 October 2025.