"Should Scotland be an independent country?"
 

That's the single issue on the ballots in a special election happening today in Scotland. The polls closed about a minute ago. We should know the result of the vote in a few hours. What are your thoughts on this momentous occasion?

The poll votes are secret, as in all good elections. You may reveal your vote in your post (or no).

Yes it should, and it probably will, if not now then at some time in the future, and it should rid itself of the monarchy too.

Thanks for your response, Rhianne. Are you Scottish? I'm not, of course, but I still voted in the poll. The coverage of this very big story has been scant where I live. A new country?! Come on! How often does that happen? South Sudan was the last "new country", if you don't count the chunks of Ukraine Putin keeps hammering loose.

I voted (in this poll) that I didn't think they should become an independent country and that I didn't think that this vote would result in an independent country. My main reasoning was that national clout, for both (an independent) Scotland and the UK would be diminished by ... what's the word here? In the US, "secession" would be the word. But I don't chafe at all from the reins of political power held in London.

I would love to hear more from you, and from others. Limey, I'm looking at you... :)

There should be a 'No it shouldn't, but yes it will' option for balance.

I hope they vote no. But I would fully understand any Scot who voted yes.

My typing mistake. That is what the fourth entry SHOULD read. Sorry. :facepalm:


if there's a moderator that can make such a change, I'd be much obliged. Entry number four should read:

"No it should not, but yes it will"

I know nothing about it, but I did read the Outlander series.

my info is a bit outdated... but if I was a Scot, I'd want to be Sovereign.

Yes they should;
1- Break free of England.
2- Invade and subjugate England
3- Force all Englishmen to wear kilts with no underwear.
:vikingsmi

I don't give a %^&*. I don't live in the UK any more, t'ain't my business. People have not left me alone about this today. It was barely even on my radar before last week. Gut reaction/feeling is No, how on earth would they survive as an independent nation, but I know nothing.

4 of 32 authorities reporting and the result is 57% no and 43% yes. The turnout has averaged a "disappointing" (HA!) 78%.

More results in an hour.

5th authority reporting, 50.6 no, 49.4% yes. The closest result yet. This in an authority expected to vote yes. (sorry, I missed the name of the authority)

Now 13 of 32 local authorities reporting, overall ratio at this point: 53% no and 47% yes. The only local authority to vote in favor of secession was Dundee, and that large region moved the national count much closer to even.

Falkirk went 58k no to 50k yes. It is said to be something of a bellwether area, being between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Those two cities contain a large percentage of the population of the country and their totals will have a proportionally large effect on the


Angus reporting now: 80k total votes, 45k no, 34k yes.

Aberdeen: 144k total votes, 81% turnout. 59k yes, 84k no.

No country running total at this time.

national indications:

No's lead increasing. But by the not the wide margin indicated by polls only a couple weeks ago.

56% no, 44% yes. 15 authorities reporting. This is the spread of about 6 weeks ago.

raucous cheering

North lannatshire (sp): yes by a narrow margin (4k votes)