SNP MSP Annabelle Ewing has been elected to serve as the Scottish Parliament's Deputy Presiding Officer after a lengthy voting process.
Ewing, the SNP member for Cowdenbeath, was elected to the role to assist Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone who became the first Green MSP to take on the role yesterday.
After almost four hours of voting with 10 candidates putting their names forward for the role, Ewing emerged as the elected Deputy Presiding Officer with 64 votes.
In the final round of voting, Ewing beat out Labour MSP Rhoda Grant (16 votes) and LibDem MSP Liam McArthur (44 votes). There was one abstention.
Ewing was one of five SNP MSPs to put their names forward, joined by Clare Adamson, James Dornan, Bill Kidd and Stuart McMillan.
Jeremy Balfour and Edward Mountain put themselves forward for the Tories and Clare Baker joined Grant from Labour.
READ MORE: Alison Johnstone becomes first Green MSP to be elected Presiding Officer
Reacting to her new position on Twitter, Ewing said she was "absolutely honoured and thrilled" to take up the position.
She was congratulated by many SNP colleagues, including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who described it as "another fine outcome".
Thank you First Minister @NicolaSturgeon Absolutely honoured and thrilled! https://t.co/QYueIAxP13
— Annabelle Ewing (@aewing4Cbeath) May 14, 2021
She was also welcomed into the position by former presiding officer Tricia Marwick who said: "Congratulations @aewing4Cbeath on your election as 1st Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament. I look forward to seeing you in future convene a session of the Scottish Parliament, as your mum did so memorably in 1999."
Congratulations @aewing4Cbeath on your election as 1st Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament. I look forward to seeing you in future convene a session of the Scottish Parliament, as your mum did so memorably in 1999.
— Tricia Marwick (@TriciaMarwick) May 14, 2021
In a further round of voting for the second Deputy Presiding Officer, Liam McArthur was elected to the post with 74 total votes.
McArthur, the LibDem MSP for Orkney, emerged as the frontrunner for the role after the first round gave him 45 votes, ahead of second-placed Stuart McMillan who garnered 20.
Due to the election to the post requiring a majority of votes, it went to a second round where McArthur was voted in.
The post was also contested in the final round by Clare Adamson, James Dornan, Stuart McMillan, Rhoda Grant and Clare Baker.
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