Tain and Easter Ross by-election: All you need to know ahead of Thursday vote.
RESIDENTS facing the choice of seven candidates at this week’s Tain and Easter Ross by-election are being urged to make their vote count.
Polling will take place on Thursday, June 13 to fill the vacant seat for Highland Council's Tain and Easter Ross ward.
The election was triggered by the sad death of Alasdair Rhind.
The single transferable vote system will be used allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference.
Instead of using a cross, voters should number the candidates in the order of their choice, putting a number 1 in the box next to the name of the candidate who is their first choice, 2 in the box next to their second choice and so on. Voters can mark as many choices as they wish.
Postal packs have been despatched to those registered electors that submitted a form by the postal vote deadline.
Further guidance on how to complete your postal pack is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZt4BGqP8yA
Anyone who has requested a postal vote will not be able to vote in person at a polling station. However, it is possible to hand your complete postal pack into a polling station within the ward between 7am and 10pm on Thursday, June 13, if you are unable to post it in time.
For those opting to vote in person on Thursday, June 13 polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm. People are reminded to check their poll cards carefully as this will have details of where they need to go to cast their vote.
More details of polling places is available on the council’s website.
The candidates standing for election for Ward 7 -Tain and Easter Ross are:
ALLISON Gordon - Scottish National Party (SNP)
BARNETT Andrew - Scottish Green Party
CHRISTIAN Harry - Scottish Libertarian Party
COHEN Barbara - Scottish Liberal Democrats
DUNDAS Laura - Independent
SHEARER John - Independent
SHORT Eva - Scottish Conservative and Unionist
The currently elected ward members are councillors Maureen Ross (Independent) and Derek Louden (Scottish National Party).
The election count will take place in Tain Royal Academy on Friday, June 14 starting at 9.30am. People will be able to follow the count and watch the declaration of the results live via this link - https://www.youtube.com/live/nnwm6HYliGw or on the council’s social media channels @highlandcouncil.
All information about the by-election, including answers to frequently asked questions and short video clips to show how to vote is available by visiting the council’s website at www.highland.gov.uk/byelection
