South Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)

South Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament. Ten of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region. Under the additional-member electoral system used for elections to the Scottish Parliament, the region elects seven regional Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), in addition to the ten constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole, which thus elects a total of 17 MSPs.

The region was created as a result of the First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries in 2011, and largely replaced the South of Scotland region. As defined at the 2011 review, the South Scotland region covered the Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, Scottish Borders and South Ayrshire council areas in full and parts of the East Lothian, Midlothian and South Lanarkshire council areas, and covered nine constituencies.^[2] Following the second periodic review of Scottish Parliament boundaries in 2025, the boundaries of the region were altered, and it now covers ten constituencies. The region now covers the whole of the council areas of Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders, and South Ayrshire; and parts of the council areas of East Ayrshire, Midlothian, and South Lanarkshire.^[3] By population it is now the largest of Scotland's eight electoral regions.^[1]

As a result of the Second Periodic Review in 2025, the boundaries for the region and constituencies were redrawn for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election. South Scotland underwent considerable changes, with East Lothian being transferred to the new Edinburgh and Lothians East region, and the region gaining the East Kilbride and Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituencies from the former Central Scotland region. Additionally, the region lost a small portion of the East Ayrshire council area to the West Scotland region due to a boundary changes of the Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley constituency.^[4][5]

As a result of the First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries the boundaries for the region and constituencies were redrawn for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election.

Prior to the First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries, the area which previously encompassed much of the South Scotland electoral region was known as the 'South of Scotland' electoral region. The constituencies were created in 1999 with the names and boundaries of Westminster constituencies, as existing in at that time.^[6]

The First Past the Post constituencies can be found below:

The region covered the following local government areas: In full:

• Scottish Borders
• South Ayrshire
• Dumfries and Galloway

In part:

• East Ayrshire
• East Lothian
• Midlothian
• North Ayrshire
• South Lanarkshire

N.B. This table is for presentation purposes only

In the 2021 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

• 7 Scottish National Party MSPs (6 constituency members and 1 additional member)
• 3 Labour MSPs (additional members)
• 6 Conservative MSPs (3 constituency members and 3 additional member)

In the 2016 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

• 7 Scottish National Party MSPs (four constituency members and three additional members)
• 6 Conservative MSPs (four constituency members and two additional members)
• 3 Labour MSPs (one constituency member and two additional members)

In the 2011 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

• 8 Scottish National Party MSPs (four constituency members and four additional members)
• 4 Labour MSPs (two constituency members and two additional members)
• 3 Conservative MSPs (all constituency members)
• 1 Liberal Democrat MSP (additional member)