An election due to be held later this month for Kendal Town Council has been postponed following a candidate’s death.
The vote for the Highgate ward was set to take place on March 27 but will now be rearranged.
Green Party candidate Phil Clayton died last Tuesday, March 11 while out in the Lake District.
Linda Jones, deputy returning officer and chief legal and monitoring officer for Westmorland and Furness Council, said: “We send our condolences to Mr Clayton’s family at this very sad time.
“Legally, we must now postpone the election in Highgate ward. I have already contacted the other candidates, and will be writing to all affected electors.”
A new date for the election is being arranged and new poll cards will be sent to all affected voters once the date has been set.
They will tell voters how to arrange a postal, or proxy vote if they cannot make it to the polling station on the new date.
Any already returned postal votes will be sealed, unopened and will no longer count. People who have already received a postal vote for the Highgate ward election, but haven’t yet returned it are asked not to do so as the vote will not count. All eligible postal voters will be sent a new postal vote.
Candidate nominations will reopen for a set period once the new date is announced. All other previous candidates remain validly nominated and will be included on the ballot paper.
Anyone wanting to submit a nomination can obtain nomination packs from the offices of the Returning Officer at South Lakeland House, Lowther Street, Kendal, LA9 4DQ, or by emailing elections3@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk
The polls in the Nether Ward of Kendal Town Council and East Ward of Penrith Town Council on Thursday March 27 will go ahead as planned.
