Firing the election starting gun

A ‘writ of election’ was 
delivered to Fylde Town Hall in St Annes to fire the starting gun for the May 7 vote.

Writs, drawn up by the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery, are delivered to returning officers in every constituency across the UK to officially announce the dissolution of Parliament.

Fylde’s own election hopefuls, both parliamentary and would-be councillors, now have until 4pm on April 9 to lodge their nomination papers which will see their names put on ballot papers.

To ensure voters know of the election, polling cards will be posted by town hall staff to all the borough’s 60,000 voters this week.

Tracy Morrison, Fylde’s acting returning officer, said: “The writ is a piece of tradition to ensure that citizens in every part of the country know that a new Parliament has to be elected.

“The May 7 poll is particularly important this time because we have three sets of elections on the same day: there is a General Election, the elections of councillors to Fylde Council and also election of parish councillors across the area.”

To register to vote, call Fylde Council on (01253) 658658 or visit www.fylde.gov.uk 
before April 20.