New date for Coker Division election

WHILE most people in and around Yeovil will be heading to the polling stations on May 2 for the Somerset County Council elections, people in the Coker Division have to wait for their election for a further fortnight.

Sadly, Audrey Spencer, a UKIP candidate for Coker, passed away during the election campaign for the division which has led to the election being cancelled and a new election having to be held within 35 working days of the original date.

The Somerset County Council Coker Division election will now take place on Thursday, May 16.

Registered voters would have already been issued with poll cards for the May 2 election, but South Somerset District Council will be sending out new poll cards for the new election with an explanation of the change of date.

For the Coker Division election the deadline for new voter registrations and for new postal votes will be Tuesday, April 30, and the deadline for proxy voter applications will be Wednesday, May 8.

The Coker Division election will affect the following parishes: Barwick, Stoford, Chiselborough, East Chinnock, Closworth, East Coker, Hardington Mandeville, Haselbury Plucknett, Montacute, North Perrott, Norton Sub Hamdon, Odcombe, West and Middle Chinnock and finally West Coker.

The candidates for the Somerset County Council Coker Division election are as follows: Vhie BOXALL (UKIP); John Peter BYSOUTH (Green); Marcus John Hudson FYSH (Cons); Murray William SHEPSTONE (Lab); Ian STEPHEN (LibDem).

Ian Clarke, South Somerset District Council returning officer and electoral registration officer, said: “I can’t recall another case where a candidate has sadly died during an election campaign in South Somerset and our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.

‘’We have tried to minimise the period between the date of the original election and the new date to help reduce any issues for electors and the candidates.”

For a full list of candidates standing for election in your area, please visit http://www.southsomerset.gov.uk/councillors-and-democracy/elections/somerset-county-council-elections/.

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