- Source: 2012 Moray Council election
The 2012 Moray Council election was held on 3 May 2012, the same day as the other 31 local authorities in Scotland. The election used the eight wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with 26 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 3 or 4 members, using the STV electoral system.
The election saw the Scottish National Party (SNP) increase their representation by 1 seat, equalling the seat numbers of the independents who lost 2 seats, while becoming the largest party on the council in terms of vote share. The Conservatives retained their 3 seats while Labour gained an additional seat.
Following the election, a coalition was formed between the independents and the Conservatives which was a continuance of the arrangement from 2007 to 2012.
Background
= Previous election
=The previous election in 2007 were the first in Moray to use the STV electoral system. The results in 2007 saw the traditionally independent controlled council become a independent-Conservative controlled council. The independent group lost 4 seats, as the SNP gained 6, and the Conservatives gained 2. Labour lost 3, and the Liberal Democrats lost any representation on the council.
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= Composition
=There were 2 by-elections in the 2007-12 term. One by-election was in the Elgin City South ward, which resulted in an SNP gain from independent. The other by-election was held in the Forres ward, which resulted in an independent gain from Conservative.
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Results
Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes. The net gain/loss and percentage changes relate to the result of the previous Scottish local elections on 3 May 2007. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.
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Ward results
= Speyside Glenlivet
=2007: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent
2012: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent
2007-2012 Change: No change
= Keith and Cullen
=2007: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
2012: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
2007-2012 Change: No change
= Buckie
=2007: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
2012: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
2007-2012 Change: No change
= Fochabers Lhanbryde
=2007: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xIndependent
2012: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab
2007-2012 Change: Lab gain one seat from Independent
= Heldon and Laich
=2007: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP; 1xCon
2012: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP; 1xCon
2007-2012 Change: No change
= Elgin City North
=2007: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent
2012: 2xSNP; 1xLab
2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Independent
= Elgin City South
=2007: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent
2012: 1xLab; 1xCon; 1xSNP
2007-2012 Change: Con gain from Independent
= Forres
=2007: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP; 1xCon
2012: 3xIndependent; 1xSNP
2007-2012 Change: Independent gain one seat from Con
Aftermath
As no single political group on the council won enough seats for a majority, the independent group and the Conservative group continued their coalition administration which had been in place since the 2007 election.
= 2013 Heldon and Laich by-election
=SNP councillor Carolle Ralph resigned her seat on 7 December 2012. The by-election was held in the Heldon and Laich ward on 7 March 2013 and was won by independent candidate John Cowe.
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= 2014 Buckie by-election
=Independent councillor Anne McKay resigned her seat on 13 November 2013. A by-election was held in the Buckie ward on 30 January 2014 and was won by independent candidate Gordon Cowie.
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= Elgin City North by-election
=Labour councillor Barry Jarvis resigned his seat on 26 September 2014 to train as a teacher. A by-election was held in the Elgin City North ward on 11 December 2014 and the seat was won by the SNP candidate Kirsty Reid.
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= 2015 Buckie by-election
=Independent councillor Joe Mackay died on 12 January 2015 after a fall from his mobility scooter. A by-election was held in the Buckie ward to fill the vacancy on 26 March 2015 and the seat was won by the SNP candidate Sonya Warren.
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= 2015 Heldon and Laich by-election
=Independent councillor Eric McGillivray announced on 31 July 2015 he was standing down from the council for personal reasons. A by-election was held in the Heldon and Laich ward on 1 October 2015 and the seat was won by independent candidate Dennis Slater.
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