# Aird and Loch Ness (ward)

Aird and Loch Ness is one of the 21 wards used to elect members of the Highland Council. It includes Loch Ness, the town of Beauly, and the village of Fort Augustus. It elects four Councillors.

## Councillors

| Election | Councillors | Councillors | Councillors | Councillors | Councillors | Councillors |
| 2007 | Margaret Davidson (Ind.) | | Helen Carmichael (Ind.) | | Drew Hendry (SNP) | Hamish Wood (Liberal Democrats) |
| 2012 | Margaret Davidson (Ind.) | | Helen Carmichael (Ind.) | | Drew Hendry (SNP) | Hamish Wood (Liberal Democrats) |
| Oct 2015 | Margaret Davidson (Ind.) | Jean Davis (Liberal Democrats) | Helen Carmichael (Ind.) | | | Hamish Wood (Liberal Democrats) |
| 2017 | Margaret Davidson (Ind.) | Emma Knox (SNP) | Helen Carmichael (Ind.) | | George Cruickshank (Conservative) |
| Mar 2021 | Margaret Davidson (Ind.) | Emma Knox (SNP) | Helen Carmichael (Ind.) | David Fraser (Ind.) |
| 2022 | Helen Crawford (Conservative) | Emma Knox (SNP) | | David Fraser (Ind.) | Chris Ballance (Green) |

## Election results
### 2022 election

Aird and Loch Ness - 4 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | SNP | Emma Knox (incumbent) | 26.2 | 1,364 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | David Fraser (incumbent) | 22.7 | 1,182 | | | | | | |
| | Conservative | Helen Crawford | 21.1 | 1,099 | | | | | | |
| | Scottish Green | Chris Ballance | 10.2 | 528 | 706 | 727 | 730 | 783 | 924 | 1,165 |
| | Independent | Aarron Duncan-MacLeod | 8.3 | 430 | 471 | 535 | 556 | 596 | 774 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Holly Kingham | 6.6 | 342 | 369 | 385 | 398 | 523 | | |
| | Labour | Michael Perera | 4.9 | 253 | 276 | 286 | 291 | | | |
| Electorate: 10,213 Valid: 5,198 Spoilt: 57 Quota: 1,040 Turnout: 51.5% |||||||||||
Source:

### 2021 by-election

A by-election was originally scheduled to take place on 5 November 2020 to elect one councillor after the death of George Cruickshank. However, it was postponed to 11 March 2021.
Aird and Loch Ness By-election (11 March 2021) - 1 seat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Independent | David Fraser | 28.3% | 997 | 1010 | 1076 | 1194 | 1663 | 2109 |
| | SNP | Gordon Shanks | 28.2% | 994 | 1010 | 1129 | 1198 | 1211 | |
| | Conservative | Gavin Berkenheger | 23.4% | 824 | 835 | 847 | 929 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Robertson | 8.5% | 300 | 335 | 397 | | | |
| | Scottish Green | Ryan MacKintosh | 7.7% | 272 | 297 | | | | |
| | Labour | Bill Moore | 3.8% | 133 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 10,147 Valid: 3,520 Spoilt: 44 Quota: 1,761 Turnout: 3,564 (35.1%) ||||||||||

### 2017 election

Aird and Loch Ness - 4 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Independent | Margaret Davidson (incumbent) | 27.8% | 1,405 | | | | | |
| | Conservative | George Cruickshank | 19.7% | 998 | 1,045.3 | | | | |
| | SNP | Emma Knox | 14.2% | 719 | 734.1 | 734.3 | 842.07 | 1,270.6 | |
| | Independent | Helen Carmichael (incumbent) | 12.4% | 625 | 837.02 | 848.6 | 947.6 | 960.7 | 1,049.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dr. Jean Davis (incumbent) | 10.2% | 515 | 558.6 | 568.1 | 654.5 | 671.2 | 714.9 |
| | SNP | Matt Friess | 8.08% | 409 | 424.9 | 425.3 | 491.8 | | |
| | Scottish Green | Chris Ballance | 7.7% | 388 | 411.8 | 413.5 | | | |
| Electorate: between 9,735 and 9,752 Valid: 5,059 Spoilt: 66 Quota: 1,012 Turnout: 5,125 (52.6%) ||||||||||

### 2015 by-election

A by-election was triggered by the resignation of Drew Hendry in July 2015, following his election as an MP.
Aird and Loch Ness By-election (8 October 2015) - 1 Seat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jean Mary Elizabeth Davis | 33.5% | 1,029 | 1,099 | 1,208 | 1,511 |
| | SNP | Emma Ann Knox | 32.5% | 1,000 | 1,097 | 1,144 | 1,167 |
| | Conservative | George Cruickshank | 15.2% | 467 | 480 | 544 | |
| | Independent | Zofia Fraser | 9.5% | 293 | 330 | | |
| | Scottish Green | Vikki Tania Trelfer | 9.3% | 287 | | | |
| Electorate: 9,584 Valid: 3,076 Spoilt: 24 Quota: 1,538 Turnout: 3,100 (32.35%) ||||||||

### 2012 Election

Aird and Loch Ness - 4 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | Independent | Margaret Davidson (incumbent) | 36.94% | 1,194 | | | | | | | |
| | SNP | Drew Hendry (incumbent) | 20.77% | 840 | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Helen Carmichael (incumbent) | 16.3% | 659 | 894.4 | | | | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hamish Wood (incumbent) | 12.31% | 498 | 546 | 575.4 | 579 | 585.9 | 652.4 | 768 | 858.1 |
| | SNP | Robert Stewart | 7.1% | 287 | 314.1 | 322.7 | 345.3 | 358.5 | 387 | 413.2 | |
| | Conservative | George Cruickshank | 6.89% | 279 | 297.4 | 307.4 | 307.9 | 335.8 | 351.9 | | |
| | Labour | Mike Robb | 5.46% | 221 | 234.2 | 242.1 | 243.3 | 246.2 | | | |
| | UKIP | Fred Pidcock | 1.63% | 66 | 72.1 | 75.8 | 76.3 | | | | |
| Electorate: 8,999 Valid: 4,044 Spoilt: 56 Quota: 809 Turnout: 4,100 (45.56%) ||||||||||||

### 2007 election

The Highland Council election, 2007: Aird and Loch Ness :
| Party | Candidate | 1st Pref | % | Seat | Count |
| Independent | Margaret Davidson | 1,215 | 24.6 | 1 | 1 |
| Independent | Helen Carmichael | 1,125 | 22.8 | 2 | 1 |
| SNP | Drew Hendry | 892 | 18.1 | 3 | 5 |
| Liberal Democrats | Hamish Wood | 550 | 11.1 | 4 | 8 |
| Conservative | Margaret Chown | 355 | 7.2 | | |
| Independent | John Martin | 322 | 6.5 | | |
| Labour | Andrew MacKintosh | 292 | 5.9 | | |
| Independent | Alexander Nicol | 192 | 3.9 | | |