Three County Hall By-Elections Taking Place This Thursday

Elections are happening on the Isle of Wight on Thursday, but who is standing, where are they happening, and who can vote?

Three Isle of Wight Council seats will be up for grabs. Islanders living in the Central Rural, Freshwater South and Lake North County Hall wards are set to head to the polls as local elections take place across England.

There will also be sixteen town and parish elections across the Island, including in Brading, Calbourne, Porchfield, Cowes, East Cowes, Godshill, Ryde, Sandown, Shalfleet, Shanklin and Yarmouth.

County Hall By-Elections

The by-elections, called after the resignations of of Suzie Ellis, John Medland and Tig Outlaw, will be the first elections on the Isle of Wight since the new Labour government arrived in office last July.

Central Rural ward includes the villages of Chillerton, Rookley, Arreton and Godshill.

Five candidates are looking to replace Suzie Ellis as the area’s next county councillor: Bob Blezzard (Liberal Democrats), Caroline Gladwin (Reform UK), Simon Haytack (Labour), Julia Laursen (Green Party) and Simon Richards (Conservative Party).

Last time the seat was contested in the 2021 Isle of Wight Council elections, the Conservatives won with 619 votes – ahead of the Greens on 313.

Freshwater South stretches from Freshwater’s School Green and Freshwater Bay to Compton Farm in the east of the ward, bordering the neighbouring Freshwater North and Yarmouth and Brighstone, Calbourne and Shalfleet seats.

The six contenders in the race to take over from John Medland include Anne Bamford of the Labour Party, Bill Nigh for Reform UK, the Conservatives’ Warren Whyte and Tony Zeid with the Liberal Democrats. Two are hoping to represent the ward as independents: Becca Cameron and Emma Cox.

In May 2021, Mr Medland was re-elected as an independent councillor with 625 votes; his only opponent, the Conservatives’ George Cameron, received 576.

The Lake North ward extends from Sandown Bay Academy down to Lake Beach.

Candidates from all the major Isle of Wight parties are contesting the seat: Emily Brothers of the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats’ Julie Burridge, David Maclean for Reform UK, Robert May with the Green Party, Sarah Morris as an independent and Adrian Whittaker from the Conservatives.

In 2021, the Conservatives won with 399 votes – ahead of Adrian Whittaker, then part of the Island Independent Network, who came second (284).

Town And Parish Elections

The full list of town and parish wards where elections will be held is:

• Brading Town Council

• Calbourne, Newtown and Porchfield Parish Council – Calbourne Ward

• Calbourne, Newtown and Porchfield Parish Council – Porchfield Ward

• Cowes Town Council – Cowes South Ward

• East Cowes Town Council – Osborne Ward

• Godshill Parish Council

• Ryde Town Council – Ryde North West Ward

• Ryde Town Council – Ryde South East Ward

• Ryde Town Council – Ryde West Ward

• Sandown Town Council – Sandown North Ward

• Sandown Town Council – Sandown South Ward

• Shalfleet Parish Council – Shalfleet East Ward

• Shalfleet Parish Council – Shalfleet West Ward

• Shanklin Town Council – Shanklin Central Ward

• Yarmouth Town Council – Thorley Ward

• Yarmouth Town Council – Yarmouth Ward

Other town, parish and community council wards on the Isle of Wight will not be holding elections due to the number of candidates not exceeding the number of vacancies.

Voter ID, such as a passport or driving licence, is required for both the by-elections and town and parish elections.

Polling stations will be open on Thursday from 7am until 10pm.

Results will be available on Friday, after the count.