Candidates announced for Ashford Town by-election

Residents in Ashford Town will be casting their ballots for a new ward councillor after the previous member resigned from Spelthorne Borough Council and moved to Cornwall.

Olivia Rybinski, a former Conservative councillor for Ashford Town, stepped down early May, saying she needs “to focus on [her] expanding family” after recently announcing she is to have a third child.

The Ashford Town by-election is scheduled for Thursday, June 19.

Every eligible registered voter will be sent a polling card with information about the election including the polling station.

Candidates for the election have been announced and are as follows:

• Philip Baldock, Independent
• Alex Balkan, Conservative and Unionist Party
• Jason Gelver, Reform UK
• Rhiannon Lewis, Labour Party
• Gregory Neall, Liberal Democrats

The winning candidate will join Cllr Michelle Arnold (Independent) and Cllr Paul Woodward (Conservative) in looking after and representing the interests of Ashford Town centre.

People can pop in any time from 7am to 10pm on June 19 to cast their vote.

After the polls close, the votes will then be counted with the results hopefully announced at 11pm. You can find your nearest polling centre on the council’s website.

If you are not registered to vote, the deadline to register is midnight Tuesday, June 3. You can register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

The last day for new applications to vote by post or to change or cancel an existing postal vote or proxy arrangement is 5pm on Wednesday, June 4. You can apply online for a postal vote at https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote

If you cannot vote in person, you can appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf. The deadline is 5pm on Wednesday, June 11.

Remember to take ID when casting your ballot in person. This can be a driving licence or a passport, or if you are not sure, check the council’s website for other examples. You can hand your postal vote to staff at the polling station too.