The 2017 Orkney Islands Council election took place on 4 May 2017 to elect members of Orkney Islands Council. The election used the six wards created as a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with each ward electing three or four Councillors using the single transferable vote system a form of proportional representation, with 21 Councillors being elected.

Quick Facts All 21 seats to Orkney Islands Council 11 seats needed for a majority, Turnout ...

2017 Orkney Islands Council election

← 2012 4 May 2017 (2017-05-04) 2022 →
All 21 seats to Orkney Islands Council 11 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	7,470 (49.7%)
First party Second party Third party   Leader Steven Heddle Rachael King[1] Steve Sankey Party Independent Orkney Manifesto Group Scottish Green Leader's seat Kirkwall East West Mainland East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray Last election 21 seats, 97% — — Seats won 18 2 1 Seat change 3 2 1 First preferences 6,162 894 350 First preferences (%) 83.2% 12.1% 4.7% Swing (pp) 13.6% N/A New
Results by wards by partisanship. Results by wards, showing whether the incumbent candidate was re-elected or retired
Council Leader before election Steven Heddle Independent Council Leader after election James Stockan Independent

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The Scottish Greens contested 2 wards in Orkney for the first time. Another group; the Orkney Manifesto Group, ran as a registered party for the first time, gaining the largest vote share of any party in the council's history. The OMG advocates the politicisation of the Orkney Islands Council, however is unaffiliated to any national party. The group has a Liberal-Left political outlook.^[2]

More information Party, Seats ...

Orkney Local Election Result 2017^[3][4]

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Independent	18	0	3	3	85.7	83.20	6,162	-11.2
	Orkney Manifesto Group	2	2	0	2*	9.5	12.07	894	N/A
	Scottish Green	1	1	0	1	4.8	4.73	350	New

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*The OMG councillors had been previously elected as Independents. 2017 was the first election they stood under the OMG slate.

• † North Isles Independent Cllr Kevin Woodbridge died on 19 April 2020 after a short illness.^[11] A by-election was held on 1 October 2020 and was won by Kevin Woodbridge's daughter, Heather Woodbridge.^[12]