Argyll and Bute Council is holding a by-election to elect one councillor in Ward 1, South Kintyre, on Thursday 2 November 2023. You can find the Notice of Election here.
The South Kintyre Ward includes the area around Campbeltown and the lower part of the Kintyre peninsula, and has an electorate of around 6,400 people.
Anyone who is interested in standing for election or who has any other queries about the election process can contact Argyll and Bute Council’s Elections Team in the first instance on 01546 603264 or by email at elections@argyll-bute.gov.uk
You can also download a guide on standing for election to Argyll and Bute Council at Becoming a Councillor (argyll-bute.gov.uk)
Nominations from prospective candidates can be submitted from Wednesday 20 September 2023, and the closing date is Monday 2 October 2023 at 4pm.
To take part in this election, you must be registered to vote. If you’re not sure whether you are registered, you can check with the Electoral Registration Office on 01586 555300. They can send you out a registration form if you need one.
You can also register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote - it’s quick and easy to do. Only people registered to vote in Ward 1 will be able to vote in this by-election.
The deadline for registering to vote in the Argyll and Bute Council by-election is Tuesday 17 October 2023.
You can also vote by post or by proxy (where you appoint someone to cast your vote on your behalf). The deadline for postal vote applications is 5pm on Wednesday 18 October 2023 and if you want to apply for a proxy vote you need to do so by 5pm on Wednesday 25 October 2023. You can find out more about this at Apply for a postal vote - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
If you want to apply for a postal or proxy vote for this election, it’s best to do this as soon as possible so that you can make sure you’re able to take part. The Electoral Registration Office deals with applications for postal or proxy votes as well as registration and you can apply online at the link above.
A list of polling stations will be published at www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/elections - there may be changes to your usual polling station so please check your polling card or online so that you know where you need to go to cast your vote.
Polling cards will be issued in two stages – one on Tuesday 3 October and next on Monday 23 October. Postal voting packs will come out on Monday 9 and Monday 23 October 2023.