Hamilton by-election result: 'Surprise' voter turn-out explained and how it compares to other polls
Polling expert says voter turn-out for the Hamilton by-election showed there was interest in the result.
The turnout at the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election was higher than expected, with 44.2 per cent of voters casting a ballot.
However, this is down 16.7 per cent on the turnout in this constituency in the 2021 Scottish election where the turnout was 60.9 per cent.
Thursday’s turnout is, however, higher than the turnout in recent by-elections in the South Lanarkshire area. In the 2023 Westminster by-election for nearby Rutherglen and Hamilton West, which ultimately led to Labour’s Michael Shanks being elected, the turnout was only 37.19 per cent.
During the election campaign there seemed to be apathy amongst voters who were disillusioned with the SNP Scottish Government, the Labour UK government and the previous Conservative UK government, which many had thought would result in a low voter turnout.
Polling expert Mark Diffley said the turn-out showed there was a concentration of interest in the Hamilton area on the result of this by-election.
He told the BBC: “The turnout was 44 per cent, which is higher than some of us had expected - often in these mid-term elections the turnout can be below 40 per cent.
“Having been in the constituency myself, there was this word used throughout that people were scunnered’, that word cropped up over and over again.
“A lot of people translated that into people staying at home, but that didn’t turn out to be the case.
“Forty per cent is a decent turn-out and in the end it does tell us there is a concentration of interest in this campaign.”
Ultimately Scottish Labour’s Davy Russell was victorious after picking up 31.5 per cent of the votes.
The SNP’s Katy Loudon came second with 29.4 per cent, and Ross Lambie from Reform UK came third with 26.2 per cent.
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