Special measures being put in place for Thorniewood by-election

The contest was sparked by the resignation of Councillor Steven Bonnar - who swopped Motherwell Civic Centre for a seat at Westminster in the snap election last December.

To be able to vote in this by-election, eligible residents must be registered to vote by midnight on Tuesday, November 3

Applications for new postal or postal proxy votes and amendments to, or cancellation of, existing postal or proxy votes must be with the Electoral Registration Office by 5pm on Wednesday, November 4.

Applications for new proxy votes must be received by 5pm on Wednesday, November 11.

It has transpired that voters can also apply for an emergency proxy if they cannot attend the polling station because of a medical emergency, for work/service reasons.

Crucially this also applies if a  voter has coronavirus or symptoms of the virus and is self-isolating.

These applications must be with the Electoral Registration Officer, by 5pm on Thursday, November 19, but stringent conditions exist in regard to this

To apply for an emergency proxy, the person must have become aware of the reason only after 5pm on Wednesday 11 November.

Safety measures will be in place at the polling places, including physical distancing, a limit on how many people are allowed inside at one time, and regular cleaning of polling booths.

Hand sanitiser will be available and voters must wear a face covering. New pencils will be available for each voter or they can bring their own.

Returning Officer Des Murray said: “It is important that everyone who is eligible has the opportunity to vote in these by-elections, so I would encourage residents in the Thorniewood ward to make sure they are registered to vote.

“Registering to vote is quick and easy to do online – you just need your national insurance number and date of birth – so please take a few minutes to register now.”

For information on registering to vote go to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote or www.yourvotematters.co.uk.

Those unsure as to whether they are already registered are asked to contact , the Electoral Registration Office on  0800 030 4333.

For information on voting in the by-election, contact North Lanarkshire Council’s Election Office on 01698 302119 or by email at [email protected].