#SP21: Aberdeen City and Shire as it stands
All you need to know after day one of counting in the North East.
Last updated 7th May 2021
Almost 24 hours since polls closed, we are closer to a result - but still more counting to come.
Thus far at the P&J Live we've seen three of the six constituency votes declared - and the remaining three and crucial North East regional list result will be revealed on Saturday.
Aberdeenshire experienced delays in their counting, meaning counting of Aberdeenshire East which was meant to conclude on Friday will recommence on Saturday morning.
It's been success for the SNP across the board so far.
First Jackie Dubar held the seat for the party in Donside - replacing Mark McDonald. Her votes almost double that of nearest rival, Conservative Harriet Cross - but it still marked gains for the Tories.
Next up it was the furthest North constituency to be counted here - Banffshire and Buchan Coast.
It was far tighter here, an SNP hold as Karen Adam took over from retiring Stewart Stevenson - but just over 700 votes made the difference.
Her closest opponent Mark Findlater from the Conservatives earlier told our reporter Lewis Michie that he felt his team had given it their all in the campaign:
Former First Minister and Alba Party Leader Alex Salmond was here to see the first ballots being tipped out of boxes.
Far from his role in years gone by, with clip board in hand he monitored the first few hours of the count.
But when our Reporter Lewis Michie spoke to him, he suggested it was an achievement for the Party to even be there, regardless of if they gain any seats.
Kevin Stewart, who served as Housing Minister in the previous Parliament, was re-elected, holding Aberdeen Central. Whilst Conservative Douglas Lumsden gained over one and a half thousand more votes than the Tories last time out, Stewart increased his vote count from 11,648 to 14,217.
Possibly those comments were a reflection of what to come. In the regional declaration for Aberdeen Donside the part had just 2.07% of the vote, and in Banff and Buchan it was 3.43% - 0.10% less than fellow pro-indy party the Greens. In Aberdeen Central they took just 597 in the regional list.
There was healthy increases on turnout around the board, Donside returned 58.2% it was 56.2% for Banffshire and Buchan Coast and 55.94% in Aberdeen Central.