Nominations have opened for the Eamont and Shap by-election.
The by-election is taking place following the retirement of councillor Neil Hughes.
The Notice of Election was published on Thursday 23 January, to allow candidates’ time to complete their nomination papers before the deadline of 4pm on Friday 31 January.
If there is more than one candidate, a by-election for the Eamont and Shap ward will be held on Thursday 27 February.
If you currently live in the Eamont and Shap ward and are registered to vote then you do not need to register your details again. Poll cards will be sent to registered voters around Friday 24 January.
If you have moved into, or changed address within the Eamont and Shap ward since responding to the voter registration form, you will need to re-register you details before the 11 February deadline to be eligible to vote in the by-election.
Nomination papers can be obtained from the offices of the Returning Officer, Voreda House, Portland Place, Penrith CA11 7BF and must be returned before 4pm on Friday 31 January.
The rules for postal voting have now changed and postal voters are encouraged to use the Royal Mail envelope provided with the postal vote pack, wherever possible.
Anyone returning a postal vote by hand to the Returning Officer must complete a postal vote return form. A postal vote returned by hand that is not accompanied by a postal vote return form will be rejected.
There are also new limits on the number of postal votes that can be handed in by one person. Electors who wish to hand their postal vote in at the polling stations or designated council offices must complete a postal vote return form for the postal vote to be accepted.
Postal votes should not be put through the council letter boxes, or via internal council mail boxes as these will have to be rejected.
Anyone voting in person will have to show a form of photo ID. Anyone without an eligible form of ID can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate (VAC). Applications for a VAC or an Anonymous Elector’s Document valid for these elections must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Wednesday 19 February.
Applications for a Voter Authority Certificate can be made online www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate.
The deadline to register to vote in the Eamont and Shap by-election is midnight on Tuesday 11 February.
The postal vote application deadline is 5pm on Wednesday 12 February.
The deadline for proxy vote applications is 5pm on Wednesday 19 February.
The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate is 5pm on Wednesday 19 February.
