An example based on votes cast in the North-East Scotland Region on 6 May 1999 is shown in the table below.
The table does not include smaller parties or an individual candidate (who received 2303 votes).
	The number of votes cast for each party list is divided by the number of constituency MSPs gained plus one. For example, the Labour party gained 4 constituency MSPs so the party list vote is divided by 5.
	After that calculation is done, the party with the highest regional figure gains the first regional seat. In this case that is quite clearly the Conservative Party who had a high vote but no constituency MSPs.
	For the second to seventh regional seats the same calculations are carried out but seats gained are included, e.g. when competing for the second regional seat the Conservative Party vote is divided by 2.
	The final regional seat was secured by 15,388 “votes” or 5.4 per cent of the total vote. An independent candidate would have had to secure a similar level of support in order to gain a seat.
Commentary Allocation of Seats in the North East of Scotland Region