General elections for the Scottish Parliament work on the basis of a mixture of a 'First Past the Post' system, similar to the UK parliament, in which the electorate votes for a total of 73 seats in the constituencies, and a Proportional Representation system for the remaining 56 regional or 'list' seats. 

Currently, a candidate can stand for a constituency seat, and if they do not win the seat can then be immediately placed on the 'list' seats, thus placing them in a position to gain a seat even though the electorate has rejected them (for example, in the recent Scottish elections, Anas Sarwar and Murdo Fraser both gained their seat in this way).

The amount of times a candidate can become or remain a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) in this way is unlimited and as a consequence, there are a number of MSPs who have retained their seat in the Scottish Parliament over multiple terms, even though they have been comprehensively rejected by the electorate numerous times (through the 'First Past the Post' system). In at least one case, an MSP has been sitting in the Scottish Parliament for over 20 years and has never been voted in.

This is grossly unfair to the Scottish electorate who are forced to suffer politicians who have been repeatedly rejected at the ballot box. It should not be allowed to continue in this way. 

This petition therefore is aimed at both the UK and Scottish Governments to set a limit to the amount of times that a candidate (of any party) can sit as an MSP via the PR system, to a maximum of one term. If they then wish to remain an MSP then they should be voted in by the electorate.

Sufficient signatures on this petition will allow me to pass it on to both parliaments in an effort to limit the number of times a rejected candidate can be a MSP.

  .