Yes, there is an election coming next year and by now the beginnings of a campaign would be evident.

But right now is not a normal year and next year isn’t looking to promising either.

For many reasons this election could be the most important in years.

If we are still dealing with a pandemic it could decide the direction of travel, although it’s not clear that others would do anything radically different.

And it could lead to another referendum on independence in the five years following.

There is also however the possibility that the Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer could suspend the election if it is not thought possible for it to take place.

But on what basis would that decision be taken?

An election will not be straightforward to hold.

If, and it is very likely, there are still social distancing measures in place there would be implications for the election day and the counting of votes.

But they are not insurmountable and plans are already being worked on by returning officers for that very eventuality.

There could be an increased use of postal voting to reduce the number of people going to a polling station.

There would be implications for the counting which would need to take a lot longer as fewer people would be allowed into the counting hall and could be spread over two days.

Again, that can be done. It would just mean the results not being known possible for an extra day.

Where the biggest issue would come in would be in the political party campaigning, which involves mobilising teams all across the country, in offices and campaign rooms for hours on end living on pizza, crisps and Mars Bars.

So why don’t we press on with the election but cancel the campaign.

Sorry political anoraks and party staffers for who election time is World Cup, Wimbledon and the Olympics all rolled into one, but you can’t have your fun next year.

There would be no rallies, although it hasn’t stopped Donald Trump in America where they vote in a few weeks time.

There would be no clipboard carrying people in rosettes chapping on doors asking if they can “count on your vote.

There would be no impromptu, street appearances of grinning politicians eagerly shaking hands with old and young and certainly there would be no kissing of babies.

But by then, the MSPs, the SNP in Government and the others in opposition have had five years to let us know who they are and what they are about.

And we have had five years to make our minds up about them, good or bad and most of us have probably already done so.

And a leaflet with a smiling Nicola Sturgeon, Douglas Ross, Richard Leonard, Patrick Harvie or Willie Rennie is unlikely to trouble our minds on the way from the doormat to the recycling bin.

So, let’s not think about postponing the election. The people need to have their say.

But we could can the usual campaigning as we have heard plenty from the politicians already.

What an election campaign would do would be to politicise the Coronavirus pandemic and could seriously hamper efforts to control it, if it hasn’t been by then.

That would have a detrimental effect and would divert people’s attentions from the pandemic and the other serious problems it has caused.

Of course there is the question of have the right decisions been taken both on public health grounds and on the economic decisions to mitigate the financial damage.

Questions should rightly be asked of government at a Scottish level and a UK level if they approach is right.

But these questions should be asked in parliament and in parliamentary committees.

And again the voters will have made there minds up themselves come May.

On what basis will people vote next year? At every election there is usually one issue or another that dominates.

Will this election be a vote on the performance of the SNP and Nicola Sturgeon during the coronavirus crisis?

Will it become about Scottish independence and the right to hold another referendum as every election since 2014 has been?

Or will there be any room for the myriad other issues that need attention?

The health service, aside form the coronavirus pandemic, the shocking levels of poverty as evidences by yet another damning report or the rising tide of drug deaths in our cities which hasn’t been properly counted yet this year.

Those who are fixated on the constitution one way or another will focus on that and other issues wont get in around the blinkers.

Those who are hitting out at the lockdown restrictions for not other logical reason other than the basis that they exist at all will focus on that.

Next year’s Holyrood election will be like no other.

But it has to go ahead and even if it means Ruth Davidson doesn’t get to sit on a tank, or Nicola Sturgeon doesn’t get to break the world record for selfies in a day.