Elections in a Somerset village postponed following death of Green Party candidate

Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES) has said that voting will not take place in Paulton following the death of Green Party candidate Tim Morgan. Credit: Bath and North East Somerset Green Party

An election in a Somerset village has been postponed following the death of one of the candidates.

Bath and North East Somerset Council has said that voting will not take place in Paulton following the death of Green Party candidate Tim Morgan.

The council has confirmed that all other polls on Thursday 4 May will go ahead as planned.

Returning officer for the council Will Godfrey said: "We send our condolences to Tim Morgan’s family at this sad time.

"Legally, we must now postpone the election in Paulton ward. I have contacted the other candidates and letters have gone out first class to notify all affected electors.”  

A spokesperson for the Green party group said: "It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of one of our candidates for Paulton, Tim Morgan.

"The Green Party would like to offer our deepest condolences to his friends and family at this difficult time. The election for Paulton is suspended."

The council has said that new poll cards would be sent to all eligible voters once a new date is set which will be within 35 working days of the original polling date.

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Information about how to arrange a postal or proxy vote if people cannot attend the new date will also be sent out.

Postal votes that have already been sent in are no longer valid and postal voters will be sent new paperwork, the council added.

All candidates set to stand in remain valid however nominations for others will reopen for a short period of time once a new election has been confirmed.