There is an air of inevitability that the SNP will cruise home in the Highlands, quite possibly with increased majorities.
MP Drew Hendry is “very optimistic” of an SNP victory in the Highlands following a “great campaign”.
This is despite soundings on the doorstep reported by rival candidates on the issues of the SNP’s “centralising of services” and cuts in council services as a result of the government grant cut.
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey MP Drew Hendry, victorious last year when he ousted Danny Alexander from his seat, arrived early at tonight’s count in Dingwall, where he was quietly optimistic about his party’s fortunes this time round.
Three Highlands and Islands constituencies will declare overnight – Inverness and Nairn; Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, and Caithness, Sutherland and Ross.
They were all previously held by the SNP.
Fergus Ewing is standing again while his party colleagues Dave Thompson and Rob Gibson both decided to retire.
Thirteen candidates are vying for the jobs while 10 parties have fought for the regional list jobs at stake.
A straw poll of polling stations earlier suggested the turnout might be higher than the last election in 2011.
It could be about 6am before all three Highland verdicts are known. The first – Inverness and Nairn – is expected at about 3am.
The count is at the home of Ross County Football Club’s Dingwall home.
The one statistic that is known so far is that there was a 74% turnout for postal voters in the region.
