THOUSANDS of people could be contacted in a bid to find out how they meant to vote in the Scottish elections as two legal challenges are being prepared over the result.

A Glasgow lawyer is preparing to contest the outcome of the Glasgow region on behalf of those whose ballots were rejected.

Across Scotland, more than 100,000 votes were discounted because they were classed as spoiled ballots. Confusion stemmed from holding two different ballots - each with a different voting system - on the same day.

The introduction of the Single Transferable Vote system also left some voters bemused. Council ballot forms saw them asked to number their preference, while the Parliament votes were marked with a cross.

Mike Dailly, of the Govan Law Centre, said he thought there were grounds to challenge the regional results.

He plans to meet voters tomorrow to discuss lodging a petition at the Court of Session challenging the result within the 21-day deadline.

He said: "If a number of the discounted votes had gone to Tommy Sheridan or the Greens, clearly that could have meant a different result on the Glasgow list. I think there's scope for a challenge to it."

Meanwhile, Allan Wilson, who lost Cunninghame North to the SNP by 48 votes, is preparing a potential legal challenge.

He said: "The prospective challenge arises from concerns that have been expressed to me by local party members and more importantly, local people, about the outcome of the ballot in Cunninghame North.

"What I've done is ask the Labour party lawyers to look at the prospect of a legal challenge."

Mr Wilson said if the legal challenge went ahead it would be directed by the local Labour Party and not head office.