By-election due to take place on Thursday 26 March

The Seaton Town Council by election for a new councillor which was due to take place on Thursday 26 March has been cancelled following Government guidance about Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The town council will now decide whether to co-opt the two candidates who put themselves forward for the election.

The Government has given its full support to Returning Officers to cancel or suspend elections to prevent the spread of the virus.

East Devon Returning Officer Mark Williams said:

My priority is to ensure the wellbeing of the public who were due to vote and the staff running the polling stations. In light of the current exceptional circumstances and on the advice of the Association of Electoral Administrators the right decision is to cancel the election.

I have written to Seaton Town Council and suggested that the council may wish to consider co-opting the two candidates who were standing for the election.

Any postal votes received by the Returning Officer will remain unopened and will be confidentially destroyed. The town council will not be charged for any administration costs in preparation for the election. For further information, please contact the Electoral Services Team on 01395 517402.