A BY-ELECTION has been announced in an Andover Town Council ward, with candidate nominations now open. 

Following the sad death of former town mayor and long-term councillor Barbara Long in May, residents in Andover St Mary’s will elect a new representative in September.

READ MORE: Tributes to 'kind and loyal' town councillor and former mayor

Nominations for the position are now open and, if contested, the by-election will be held on Thursday, September 8.

Anyone interested in standing as a candidate in this by-election should contact Test Valley Borough Council’s contact electoral services department - which oversees the process - on 01264 368000 or by emailing elecreg@testvalley.gov.uk.

Nominations will be accepted from August 3, and a list of candidates announced on August 12.

It is not a requirement to be a registered resident of the ward to stand for election. 

In order to vote in this election, you need to be registered on the Register of Electors and you must be:

  • Resident in the St Mary's Ward area of Andover Town Council on the date of the election
  • A British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen, or a citizen of a member state of the European Union
  • 18-years-old or over

If you are an eligible elector and you are already on the Register of Electors in the St Mary's Ward, you do not need to re-register for this election.

Details of where your polling station is located will be found on your poll card.

The deadline for applying to register for voting in this election is Monday, August 22 2022, and you can so at: gov.uk/register-to-vote.

SEE ALSO: A jam-packed programme of summer events in store at Andover's Riverside Park​ 

Mayor of Andover, Cllr David Coole, said: “Being a councillor in local government is a great opportunity for anyone who cares about the residents and businesses of Andover, works well with other people, and really wants to make a positive contribution towards delivering improvements. 

“You can belong to a political party but do not have to be a member of one in order to stand as a candidate; many parish and town councillors are independent councillors.”

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