WATCH: Lib Dems hold off SNP in Culloden & Ardersier
By-election ends after tense recount. Labour loses seat.
The Liberal Democrats held off the SNP to take a seat from Labour on Highland Council (Culloden & Ardersier) in a by-election following the death of councillor John Ford.
After various knock out rounds, nine candidates were eliminated down to the final winner, which had to be determined after a tense recount, because of the close result.
Lib Dem Trish Robertson won the seat by just 25-votes, with the SNP candidate in second place with a total of 1,001 votes.
The average voter turn out across the ward was less than a third of the people who were allowed to cast a ballot, although it was higher in Ardersier itself.
Labour suffered a swingeing defeat, drawing just 163 first-preference votes.
Although the Scottish Nationalists topped the first-preference votes, the outcome was decided in favour of the Lib Dems on transfers after a recount of the seventh and final stage of counting under the single transferable vote (STV) system.
First-preference voting was: SNP 753, LD 463, C 439, Ind Ross 315, Ind Macpherson 274, Green 180, Lab 163, Ind McGrath 158, Ind Lamont 23.
The political representation of the 80-member council now is Highland Alliance (6); Independent (32); Labour (7); Liberal Democrat (13); Scottish National Party (19); Non-aligned (3).