Newsnet Scotland Live Updates From the Election Counts
Newsnet Scotland will bring our readers live election updates directly from the counts across Scotland after the polls close at 10pm tomorrow [Thursday]. Stay glued to our homepage as we bring live election news as it unfolds across Scotland throughout the night.
You can submit your views and reactions as news and results come in by emailing our election news team: electionteam@newsnetscotland.com
Reader Comments When Polls Are Open (Normal service will resume after 10pm tomorrow)
When an election is in progress, there are strict laws in force regarding what can be published relating to the election. While the polling stations are open, it is illegal to publish any exit polls, or any information which could be construed as an exit poll. This is to ensure that voters will not be influenced in their decision to vote by information which pre-empts the outcome of the election. It’s a sensible measure.
As an online publisher, Newsnet Scotland bears legal responsibility for any comments made by our readers. Since our readers are on the whole highly politically aware, and many are directly involved in the election campaign in their own area, the chances are that the comments will be dominated by election gossip. Most of this will of course be perfectly legal and within the law, but allowing normal commenting during polling hours would put an impossible strain upon our already busy moderation team. Moderators would have to make constant and rapid legal judgements about whether a comment could or could not be ‘construed as an exit poll’.
We have therefore decided that the simplest step is to deactivate the comments facility on the morning of Thursday May 5th at 7am when the polling stations open. The ability to comment on all articles will be restored as soon as the polling stations close at 10pm. We apologise for any inconvenience.
