SCOTTISH Borders Council has announced how many 'first-preference votes' each candidate received in the Leaderdale and Melrose by-election.

The election took place yesterday (Thursday, March 11) using the Single Transferable Vote system.

Under STV rules, voters are asked to rank the candidates in order of preference.

After ballots were counted in Galashiels today, Conservative representative Jenny Linehan was announced as the winner. She received 1,380 first-preference votes.

How many 'first-preference votes' did each candidate receive?

  • Jenny Linehan (Scottish Conservative and Unionist) – 1,380
  • John PatonDay (Scottish National Party (SNP)) – 1,042
  • Jonny Adamson (Scottish Liberal Democrats) – 538
  • Mary Douglas (independent) – 159
  • Michael Needham (Scottish Green Party) – 152
  • Scott Redpath (Scottish Labour Party) – 115
  • Karen Wilks (independent) – 69

Jenny Linehan 'overwhelmed'

Ms Linehan, a lawyer by trade, said she was "overwhelmed" by the support she received.

She added: “First of all, I would like to pay tribute to the work and public service of Kevin Drum, who represented Leaderdale and Melrose since 2017.

“I would also like to thank the diligent work of Scottish Borders Council for holding a safe by-election during a pandemic.

"Their work has been vital in ensuring democracy can continue, despite everything else going on. Officials did a fantastic job of making sure everyone voted safely and securely.

“I am overwhelmed by the support I have received from local residents. I am itching to get going and representing everyone who lives in our area. I will not let you down.

“Melrose, Lauder, Earlston, and surrounding villages face a tough period ahead with COVID restrictions being with us for many months to come. It is my priority to help protect jobs and help us recover from the economic shock of COVID-19.

“I am excited to work with councillor Shona Haslam and her team to improve the local area, and deliver for the Scottish Borders.”

Praise for the winner

Shona Haslam, the leader of Scottish Borders Council, congratulated her fellow Conservative member.

Mrs Haslam said: "My congratulations to Jenny on this superb win. I am really excited to work with her and the rest of the team to deliver for Leaderdale and Melrose, and the rest of the Scottish Borders.

“It has been a challenging year for everyone. However, I know that with Jenny’s help Scottish Borders Council can enhance our communities for the better.

“She brings a wealth of experience to the team and will be a great addition.”

Meanwhile, Borders MP John Lamont, also of the Conservatives, said: “This is a fantastic win for Jenny. It was very encouraging to see the Scottish Conservative vote go up by 8%.

“Jenny knows her home area really well. I am looking forward to working with her to help local residents, businesses and public services recover from Covid-19.”