BORDERERS started heading to ballot boxes across the region at 7am this morning to shape Scottish politics for the next four years.

Four candidates are vying for each of the two Borders constituencies – Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, and Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire – with nine political parties looking for regional representation.

And for the first time in an election, 16- and 17-year-olds are able to cast their votes.

In the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency Michelle Ballantyne (Conservative), Kris Chapman (Lib Dem), Fiona Dugdale (Labour) and Christine Grahame (SNP) are hoping to command the majority of votes from the 60,204-strong electorate.

A total of 156 ballot boxes have been placed in 48 different polling stations, stretching from Middleton Village Hall, Newtongrange Church Hall and the Penicuik YMCA to Tweedsmuir Village Hall, Gattonside Village Hall and Oxton War Memorial Hall.

Scottish Borders Council sent out 9,402 postal votes and has issued 207 proxy votes for the constituency.

In Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire Barrie Cunning (Labour), Jim Hume (Lib Dem), John Lamont (Conservative) and Paul Wheelhouse (SNP) are hoping to be first past the post when the electorate of up to 54,506 cast their first vote.

There are 198 ballot boxes placed in 77 different polling stations spread across the constituency, from the Boston Hall at Ettrick, Teviothead Village Hall and Bowden Village Hall to Eyemouth Community Centre, Jedburgh Town Hall and the Morebattle Institute.

For the Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire constituency a total of 7,670 postal votes were sent out with exactly 200 proxy votes issued.

Voters are being instructed to cast a second regional vote when they attend the polling station, with nine different political parties – Clydesdale and South Independent, RISE, Conservatives, Greens, Labour, Lib Dems, SNP, Solidarity and UKIP – hoping to send South of Scotland representatives to Holyrood. 

A total of seven list MSPs will be elected from the South of Scotland.

All polling stations will close at 10pm tonight, with the count for both constituencies taking place at Springwood Park in Kelso.

Returning officer Tracey Logan told us: “I am delighted to have a dedicated team at Scottish Borders Council that works with a range of key partners to prepare for these big occasions.

"It is testament to their hard work that these elections run as efficiently as they do. We have a tried, tested and extremely effective system in place to ensure the count process operates smoothly.”

It is expected the results of the polls from both the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency, and the Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire constituencies will be announced at around 6am.