Deadline dates set for forthcoming Aberdeen City Council by-elections

22 June 2015

The nomination period for candidates to come forward for two Aberdeen City Council by-elections closes at 4pm on Monday 29 June.

The list of candidates will be published as soon as possible after the close of the nomination period for the two polls to elect new members for the Kincorth/Nigg/Cove and Hilton/Woodside/Stockethill wards.

Nomination forms must be delivered to the Returning Officer at Election Office, 1st Floor, Town House, Broad Street, Aberdeen, AB10 1FY, on any weekday 10am–4pm. Nomination papers can obtained from the offices of the Returning Officer, at the above address or at www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/byelections2015

Voters will go to the polls between 7am and 10pm on Thursday 30 July. The vacancies were created by the resignations of former councillors Callum McCaig and Kirsty Blackman, who were elected as MPs for Aberdeen South and Aberdeen North respectively at the UK parliamentary election on 07 May.

Three other key dates are also approaching:
   •  the deadline for new registrations to vote at these elections is Tuesday 14 July;
   •  the deadline for new postal vote applications is 5pm Wednesday 15 July;
   •  the deadline for new applications to vote by proxy (not emergency proxy) is Wednesday 22 July.

Applications to register to vote and to vote by post or by proxy – along with amendments or cancellations of postal votes or proxy votes – must be made to the Electoral Registration Officer, Woodhill House, Westburn Road, Aberdeen, AB16 5GE, who can also give advice on postal and proxy voting. The ERO can be contacted at the above address or via ero@grampian-ero.gov.uk.

ERO Ian Milton said: "If you have recently changed address and not updated your registration details go online now at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and make sure your vote moves with you."

The voting method in the by-elections will the 'Single Transferable Vote' (STV) system, with voters numbering their candidates in order of preference by marking a 1 in the box next to their first choice, 2 in the box next to their second choice, 3 in the box next to their third choice, and so on. Voters can number as many or as few candidates as they choose.

Further information can be found on the Aberdeen City Council website at www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/byelections2015.