Voting has begun in the contest to succeed Nicola Sturgeon and become Scotland’s next first minister.
Ballot papers are being sent out to tens of thousands of SNP members, who will choose the party’s new leader.
Whoever wins the contest will likely go on to become the country’s sixth first minister because the SNP the largest party in the Scottish Parliament.
The candidates will take part in a live TV debate on Sky News just hours after voting gets under way. This will be the third televised clash of the leadership campaign so far.
The leadership contest is taking place after Sturgeon announced she was quitting as First Minister last month.
She had been in the job for eight years, making her the longest-serving Scottish first minister to date.
Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf and former community safety minister Ash Regan are all in the running to replace her.
Yousaf has received the backing of outgoing Scottish Deputy First Minister John Swinney, the party's Westinster leader Stephen Flynn and the constitution secretary Angus Robertson.
Some polls have put Forbes ahead amongst the Scottish public but it is SNP members alone who will make the choice.
The single transferable voting system being used means second preferences could be key in determining the next SNP leader.
Party members will be asked to rank the three candidates in order of preference. If no single candidate secures more than 50 per cent of votes on first preferences, the person in third place will be eliminated.
Their second preference votes will then be distributed amongst the two remaining candidates in order to find the winner.
The company Mi Voice, which runs all internal SNP elections, sent out emails to party members when voting opened at noon.
Paper ballots have also been sent out to those members who have requested them, with those also due to arrive on Monday.
Members have two weeks to cast their vote, with the ballot closing at noon on March 27.
An SNP spokesperson said: “SNP members will receive their ballots via email today and have until the morning of March 27 to cast their votes – the day the next leader will be announced.
“The ballot is being operated by an independent third party who will ensure the process is free, fair, and well run.”
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