Belah and Castle By-Elections

(Date of issue: Monday, 2 March 2009)

Carlisle City Council is urging local Belah and Castle ward residents to make their mark and take up their right to vote at this Thursday’s (5 March) City Council by-elections.

A vacant seat for each ward will be contested and a combined total of 9,083* local residents will be given the opportunity to choose which candidate should serve their ward.

Preparations are now well underway for the By-Elections; polling stations will soon be set up at nine different locations around the Belah and Castle wards. Poll cards have been sent to all eligible voters with information on where their polling station is. All polling stations open at 7am and close at 10pm.

The Returning Officer for the elections, Maggie Mooney - Carlisle City Council’s Town Clerk & Chief Executive, said:

“We want as many voters as possible to come out and make their mark. Local government provides a wide-range of services to residents and elections allow them the opportunity to have their say. We have had disappointing turnouts in the past and we want to reverse this trend.”

There was a 38.1% overall turnout in May 2008 when City Council elections were held in 16 of the city’s 22 wards.

The City Council Belah and Castle ward by-elections will be held on Thursday, 5 March 2009. The Election count will be held at the Civic Centre, the first ballot boxes are expected to arrive soon after the polling stations close at 10pm.