Highland Council By-elections for Wards 6 & 10 - Voters urged to make sure their vote counts
Issued on behalf of the Returning Officer
Polling will take place on Thursday 19 June 2025 to elect one of nine candidates standing in The Highland Council's Cromarty Firth Ward by-election and one of eight candidates for Ward 10 Eilean a' Cheò. Voters are being reminded to make sure they are ready to cast their vote.
The single transferable vote system will be used. Instead of using a cross, voters should number the candidates in the order of their choice, putting a number 1 in the box next to the name of the candidate who is their first choice, 2 in the box next to their second choice and so on. Voters can make as many or as few choices as they wish.
The Council has created a short video that explains the process -
Postal packs have been despatched to those registered electors that submitted a form by the postal vote deadline. Anyone who has requested a postal vote will not be able to vote in person at a polling station. If you are unable to post it in time, it is possible to hand in your completed postal pack into any of the polling stations located within wards 6 and 10 between 7am and 10pm on Thursday 19 June 2025. There are no restrictions on the number of postal votes that can be handed in to a polling station.
A list of polling station locations can be found on the Council’s website
For those opting to vote in person on Thursday 19 June 2025, polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm. Voters are reminded to check their poll cards as this will have details of where they need to go to cast their vote. There is no requirement to bring any form of voter ID or poll cards.
The candidates standing for election to Ward 6 – Cromarty Firth are:
- CHISHOLM, Steve - Alba Party for independence
- COSTIGANE, Ross - Scottish Liberal Democrats
- CROSS, Richard James - Independent
- FORBES, Ryan - Scottish Conservative and Unionist
- MACDONALD, Allan - Reform UK
- MACDONALD, Odette - Scottish National Party (SNP)
- PERERA, Michael Robert - Scottish Labour Party
- RATTRAY, Martin - Independent
- THOMAS, Anne - Scottish Greens
The candidates standing for Ward 10 Eilean a' Cheò are:
- COUPLAND, John - Reform UK
- DICKSON, Campbell - Independent
- GILLIES, Christine - Independent
- LAWRENCE, Katy - Scottish Greens
- MAC A’ BHÀILLIDH, Màrtainn - Scottish National Party (SNP)
- MACDONALD, Jonathan - Independent
- MACPHERSON, George - Scottish Conservative and Unionist
- THOMSON, Fay - Scottish Liberal Democrats
The electronic election counts for both wards will take place on Friday 20 June 2025 at Kyleakin Village Hall starting at 11am. People will be able to follow the count and watch the declaration of the results live on our YouTube channel and follow the latest via the Council’s social media channels - @highlandcouncil
To support equal access for everyone and to assist with voting, a range of accessibility aids is provided, which also includes a new overlay. The overlay combined with the audio recording of the ballot paper, is intended to provide a complete self-service solution to the blind and partially sighted voters to vote independently and in secret.
All information about the by-election, including answers to frequently asked questions and short video clips to show how to vote is available by visiting the Council’s website www.highland.gov.uk/byelection