NOMINATIONS for the SNP leadership race have closed, with three candidates set to be put to the membership.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and former community safety minister Ash Regan will have their names on the ballot paper to replace Nicola Sturgeon.
Nominations closed at noon, with all three candidates reaching the minimum of 100 nominations from at least 20 local party branches to advance.
Members will be asked to vote using the single transferable vote (STV) system, with a winner announced on March 27.
An SNP spokesperson said:
"With the 12pm deadline now past, we can confirm that all three declared candidates for the leadership of the SNP - Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf - have passed the threshold of nominations by at least 100 SNP members drawn from at least 20 SNP branches."
It comes as the first poll of SNP members since the leadership contest began showed that the race is still wide open, with 31% still undecided.
However, Forbes lead among voters who had an opinion despite losing the backing of many MSPs over her comments on equal marriage.
Writing exclusively in The National on Friday, Forbes set out her plan to unite the independence movement and reach out to Yes organisations if she becomes first minister.
