Polling in Dundee began quietly yesterday morning after opening at 7am across the city for the Scottish local council elections.
Many of the allocated stations saw only a trickle of voters make the early trip to cast their vote in the first few hours after polls opened.
There was a slight increase in the number of polling station visitors throughout the day however, with many people choosing to cast their ballot during lunch breaks and — more commonly — after working hours.
The electorate in the city totals 108,047 with the turnout at the last election in 2012 the third lowest of all 32 local authority areas in Scotland at 36.7%, three points below the national figure of 39.6%.
This was a drop of over 13% compared to 2007 and it is feared the number of votes cast at the city’s 121 polling stations could be even lower this time around.
Notable councillors who will no longer serve for their respective wards include Coldside’s Jimmy Black, The Ferry’s Laurie Bidwell, and council leader Ken Guild.
The East End’s Lesley Brennan has also stepped down after she was selected to contest the Dundee East constituency for Labour in June’s general election, though it is unlikely she will displace the current occupier, the SNP’s Stewart Hosie.
The city’s eight wards will see 69 candidates battle it out for 29 available seats with the SNP currently in control of the city council with 16 seats.
The pro-independence party are expected to win the most seats again, and if they do, the city’s council will be headed by 28-year-old newly-appointed party leader John Alexander.
Labour will hope to build on the party’s 10 seats, while the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats will strive to add to the one seat they each currently occupy.
The newly formed Dundee Against Cuts (DAC) will also hope the group’s strict anti-austerity stance will lure voters to their side, while the Green party would also be happy if they were to secure their first seat.
Counting of the votes begins this morning at 9am and the result is expected to be announced at around 2pm.
