Polls have closed on the Scottish independence referendum, so now we wait for results. Results as constituencies are declared are expected to start from 2am UK time (0100GMT, 2100 NY time). (The last poll is here, Y46/N54)

Ryan had this info earlier … bolding & underlining is mine (I am watching for early announced results, not the final tally … spot FX doesn’t wait until all the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed, does it?)

Once the polls have closed, ballot papers will be counted in each of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas.
These will include votes cast from the 789,024 postal vote applications, which was the largest volume of registration for postal votes ever in Scotland.
After votes have been tallied, the counting officer in each area will communicate the result to the chief counting officer Mary Pitcaithly in Edinburgh.
With her approval they will then make a declaration of the result.
Once the results from all 32 local authority areas are known, Ms Pitcaithly will declare the result of the referendum at the Royal Highland Centre outside Edinburgh.
Ms Pitcaithly has said she will announce the result at “breakfast time” on Friday.
The result is most likely to be between 06:30 and 07:30, according to Elections Scotland.

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OK, so where and when are we going to get early RESULTS (not polls, views, opinions etc., though I’ll post those as they come too). Looking at some of the constituencies (the 32 local areas referred to by Ryan, above):

  • Stirling should declare around 2am, it should be one of the first
  • Dundee declares at 3am local (0200 GMT, 2200 NY time) …. this is said to be the most nationalist city in Scotland, so there should be a strong ‘Yes’ showing
  • Glasgow declares at around 5am (0400GMT, midnight NY time)
  • By 5am (0400GMT, midnight NY time) more than 95% of the votes are likely to have been counted with just Aberdeen to come (expected at 6am, 0500GMT, 0100NY time)

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So, plenty to look forward too in the coming hours…. and I’ll be posting as it all comes in before handing over to Mike at 0400GMT for continuous coverage direct from the UK.