UK voters took to the polls yesterday in an election billed as a rerun of the 2016 EU referendum.
Tories and Labour looked set for heavy defeats, according to recent polls, with the Brexit Party mopping up disaffected voters and the SNP set for a strong showing.
The Greens and LibDems were also expected to make gains.
“To stop Brexit and keep Scotland at the heart of Europe, please today vote SNP,” was the First Minister’s message as polls opened yesterday morning.
Nicola Sturgeon also later quote-tweeted a picture of herself outside her polling station at the Broomhouse Community Hall in Glasgow with the words: “Overcoming my fear of dogs... all in the cause of keeping Scotland in Europe! #EUElection2019.”
She was joined by her husband and SNP chief executive Peter Murrell and MEP candidate Alexander Kerr.
Elsewhere, Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said he had “voted Labour to bring our country together”, while Scottish LibDem leader Willie Rennie tweeted that he had voted for his party “to stop Brexit”.
Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie cast his vote at Thornwood Primary in Glasgow.
With the election taking place amid heightened political tension, police deployed extra officers to deal with any disturbances.
Police Scotland confirmed four units comprising about 100 officers would be “strategically placed” to deal with any incident, though there were no reports of any disturbances.
Scotland will send six MEPs to the European Parliament following the election, although Brexit means it is unclear for how long they will have their jobs.
At the last European election in 2014 Scotland returned two SNP MEPs along with two Labour representatives, one Tory and one Ukip MEP.
David Coburn, who was Scotland’s first elected Ukip politician, is not standing for re-election after leaving Ukip and throwing his support being Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party, only for Farage to snub him.
Elsewhere, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson voted in Edinburgh – leaving both her dog and baby son Finn at home as she went to the polls.
Afterwards she declared she had done her “democratic duty”, urging Scots to vote for her party to “say no more referendums”.
Polling closed at 10pm, but votes will not be counted until Sunday in most areas. Counting takes place in the Western Isles on Monday morning, with the full Scottish results to be announced after that.
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