FORGET staying up all night for the results of the Holyrood vote – this year it will be an election weekend, with the results expected to be finalised on Saturday.

Last month it was reported it could be several days before the outcome of polling on Thursday May 6 is known, with counting of ballots not getting underway until the following day due to restrictions around Covid.

However planning is currently taking place with the expectation that results will be finalised on the Saturday – although it is not known exactly what time they will emerge.

In another change from the usual proceedings, returning officers will tweet out results as soon as they are declared using a dedicated hashtag, to take into account only limited numbers of people – including the media – being allowed to attend count venues.

Chris Highcock, of the Electoral Management Board for Scotland, said: “No count will start before 9am on Friday morning.

“Across the 32 councils there are councils proceeding across both Friday and Saturday. Most of them are aiming to get things done within the Friday.

“Those that have got multiple constituencies often have got plans to complete on Saturday.

“In Edinburgh for example we have got six constituencies – three will be done on the Friday and three will be done on the Saturday.

“It is similar in other places – North Lanarkshire are doing the same, Glasgow are doing the same, Fife are doing the same.”

The way Holyrood’s electoral system works means that regional list seats are assigned on the basis of constituency results.

Highcock added: “You won’t get any regional results until Saturday afternoon or evening – as to get the regional results you need the constituencies as well.

“So you will get a number of declarations come in on the Friday afternoon and you will get the rest of the declarations for the constituencies on the Saturday and all of the regional results on the Saturday as well.

“If there is any delay things might extend into Sunday but no-one is planning for that, everyone is intending to finish at some point on the Saturday – although we don’t know when.”

STV has announced it will air two programmes between 4-7pm and 8-8.30pm on Friday 7 May to bring the first results as they come in.

An additional STV News Election Special will be broadcast on the Saturday from 4.30pm-6:30pm, covering more results as they are declared.

Linda Grimes Douglas, head of news and current affairs at STV, said: “It’s a hugely exciting time for Scottish politics and our team is primed and ready to bring viewers the most comprehensive coverage of Election 2021.”

A spokesperson for BBC Scotland said special coverage will run extensively across Friday, Saturday and into the Sunday “if there are still results outstanding”.

He added: “Our teams on television, radio and online will bring all the breaking news throughout the time when the results are coming in.

“There’ll also be expert analysis from a wide range of contributors from our studios in Glasgow and from around the country. Full details of coverage will be released closer to transmission.”

One major clash has been avoided, with the Scottish Cup Final originally also due to be played on May 8. It was pushed back to May 22 due to the impact of Covid.

Meanwhile latest figures from the Electoral Management Board show as of the end of March around 23% of eligible voters in Scotland had registered for a postal vote – adding up to nearly 963,000 people.