Previous election

For the first time, the Scottish National Party (SNP) were returned as the largest party in an election in Edinburgh after increasing their vote share by 0.2% to win 19 seats – an increase of one from 2012. Despite topping the popular vote, the Conservatives only returned 18 seats as they overtook Labour to become the second-largest party on the council. Labour fell from the largest party to third after losing eight seats to return 12 councillors. The Greens recorded their best result in an election in Edinburgh as they returned eight councillors – up two – and the remaining six seats were won by the Liberal Democrats – up three.^[1]

Source:^[1]

Electoral system

The election used the 17 wards created following the fourth statutory review of electoral arrangements conducted by Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland in 2007, with 63 councillors elected. Each ward elected either three or four councillors, using the single transferable vote (STV) electoral system – a form of proportional representation – where candidates are ranked in order of preference.^[2]

Composition

Since the previous election, several changes in the composition of the council occurred. Most were changes to the political affiliation of councillors including SNP councillors Lewis Ritchie, Gavin Barrie, Claire Bridgman and Derek Howie and Conservative councillor Ashley Graczyk who resigned from their respective parties and became independents.^{[3][4][5][6][7]} Two by-elections were held and resulted in an SNP gain from Labour and an SNP hold.^{[8][9][10][11]} Green councillor Gavin Corbett resigned from the council after being made a special adviser to the Scottish Government but as his resignation was less than six months prior to the election, a by-election was not called to replace him.^[12]

Notes

Retiring councillors

Source:^[1][13]

Candidates

The total number of candidates increased from 120 in 2017 to 143. As was the case five years previous, the SNP fielded the highest number of candidates at 25 (two less than in 2017) across the 17 wards. The Liberal Democrats overtook both Labour and the Conservatives to field the second-largest number of candidates at 22 – an increase of four. Both the Conservatives (20 candidates) and Labour (19) stood fewer candidates than they had in 2017 – a decrease of one and four respectively. The Greens were the only other party to contest all 17 wards as, like they had done at the previous election, they put forward 17 candidates. The number of independent candidates increased from seven in 2017 to 10. As they had done five year previous, the Libertarians contested the election, standing five candidates (up one).^[13][14]

For the first time, the Alba Party (seven candidates), the Women's Equality Party (two), the Workers Party (one), the Communist Party (one) and the Freedom Alliance (one) contested an election in Edinburgh. The Scottish Socialist Party (one) contested an election in Edinburgh for the first time since 2012. As they had in 2017, Socialist Labour put forward one candidate while UKIP – who put forward two candidates in 2017 – did not contest the election.^[13][14]

Ward summary

Source: ^[15]

Seats changing hands

Below is a list of seats which elected a different party or parties from 2017 in order to highlight the change in political composition of the council from the previous election. The list does not include defeated incumbents who resigned or defected from their party and subsequently failed re-election while the party held the seat.

Notes

Source:^[1][15]

Almond

The Liberal Democrats (2) and the SNP (1) retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the Conservatives lost their only seat to the Liberal Democrats.

Source: ^[18][19]

Pentland Hills

The SNP and Labour retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the Conservatives retained one of their two seats and lost one seat to the SNP.

Source: ^[20][21]

Drum Brae/Gyle

The Liberal Democrats and the SNP retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the Conservatives lost their only seat to the Liberal Democrats.

Source: ^[22][23]

Forth

Labour retained the seat they had won at the previous election while the SNP retained one of their two seats and the Conservatives lost their only seat. The Greens and the Liberal Democrats both gained one seat.

Source: ^[24][25]

Inverleith

The SNP and the Liberal Democrats retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the Conservatives retained one of their two seats and the Greens gained one seat from the Conservatives.

Source: ^[26][27]

Corstorphine/Murrayfield

The Liberal Democrats and the SNP retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the Conservatives lost their only seat to the Liberal Democrats.

Source: ^[28][29]

Sighthill/Gorgie

The SNP (2) and Labour (1) retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the Greens gained one seat from the Conservatives.

Source: ^[31][32]

Colinton/Fairmilehead

Labour retained the seat they had won at the previous election while the Conservatives retained one of their two seats and the SNP gained one seat from the Conservatives.

Source: ^[33][34]

Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart

The Conservatives and the SNP retained the seats they had won at the previous election while Labour gained one seat from the Greens.

Source: ^[35][36]

Morningside

Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and the Conservatives retained the seats they had won at the previous elections.

Source: ^[37][38]

City Centre

The Conservatives, the Greens, Labour and the SNP retained the seats they had won at the previous election.

Source: ^[39][40]

Leith Walk

The Greens and Labour retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the SNP retained one of their two seats and the Liberal Democrats gained one seat from the SNP.

Source: ^[41][42]

Leith

The SNP, the Greens and Labour retained the seats they had won at the previous election.

Source: ^[43][44]

Craigentinny/Duddingston

Labour, the SNP, the Conservatives and the Greens retained the seats they had won at the previous election.

Source: ^[45][46]

Southside/Newington

Labour, the Greens and the SNP retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the Liberal Democrats gained one seat from the Conservatives.

Source: ^[47][48]

Liberton/Gilmerton

The SNP (2), Labour (1) and the Conservatives (1) retained the seats they had won at the previous election.

Source: ^[49][50]

Portobello/Craigmillar

The SNP, Labour, the Greens and the Conservatives retained the seats they had won at the previous election.

Source: ^[51][52]

Corstorphine/Murrayfield by-election

SNP councillor for Corstorphine/Murrayfield, Frank Ross, resigned on 16 December 2022 causing a by-election.^[59] The by-election was held on 9 March 2023 and was won by Fiona Bennett of the Liberal Democrats.^[60]

Source: ^[61][62]