St Nicholas By-Election results

Voter turnout for Herefordshire Council’s postal vote in the St Nicholas Ward has more than doubled the average participation rate for a by-election in the County.

A record 52.5% of people returned their postal ballot papers in yesterday’s (Thursday, January 22) election, called following the death of Cllr Rev David Short, MBE.

Liberal Democrat candidate Fiona Short, daughter of the late David Short –also a Liberal Democrat - won last night’s St Nicholas by-election and was elected to both Herefordshire Council and to the Parish of Hereford City Council

HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL ST NICHOLAS WARD
CANDIDATE PARTY VOTES

JOHN ARTHUR HITCHIN - LABOUR 288
FIONA SHORT - LIBERAL DEMOCRAT 936 ELECTED
JOHN RICHARD WARD CONSERVATIVE 783
JULIE DIANE WOODWARD- INDEPENDENT 524

TURNOUT 52.5%

HEREFORD PARISH COUNCIL ST NICHOLAS WARD
CANDIDATE PARTY VOTES

JOHN ARTHUR HITCHIN - LABOUR 283
FIONA SHORT - LIBERAL DEMOCRAT 920 ELECTED
JOHN RICHARD WARD - CONSERVATIVE 762
JULIE DIANE WOODWARD- INDEPENDENT 554

TURNOUT 52.23%

Herefordshire’s first county-wide postal election on May 1, 2003, attracted the highest voter turnout in the country with a return rate of 58.3%.

Neil Pringle, Returning Officer, said: “A big thank you to everyone who participated in the vote - this was a fantastic response.

“The last time a by-election was held in Herefordshire (Holmer Ward) using traditional ballot box method the turnout was just 19.35%.

“This latest is more than double what we would expect from the ballot box method and it demonstrates how people in the County have embraced the postal vote system.

“The bad news for voters is that in the Spring elections for the European Parliament postal voting won’t be offered.

“None-the-less, I hope people will take part in the democratic process and turnout among Herefordshire voters will still be strong.”