Issued on behalf of the Returning Officer
Postal vote packs for the Ward 4 East Sutherland and Edderton by-election were posted out last Friday. The Highland Council is advising postal voters to read the instructions carefully when completing their statement and ballot paper to ensure their vote counts.
The postal packs contain:
- Envelope A / Postal Voting Statement
- Ballot paper
- Return envelope (Envelope B)
- A guide to completing your postal vote
A short video clip explaining how to correctly complete and return your postal ballot is available to assist voters.
Anyone who has requested a postal vote will not be able to vote in person at a polling station. However, it is possible to return your postal pack by hand into a polling station within the Ward between the hours of 7am and 10pm on the day of poll - Thursday 25 June 2026 - if you are unable to post it in time. The list of polling stations can be viewed on the council’s website www.highland.gov.uk/byelection
If you haven’t received your postal pack on or after Thursday 18 June 2026, please phone 01349 886657 for a replacement pack.
Those voters who will be casting their votes in person at a polling station should have received a poll letter that details which polling station they should go to. Voters are asked to check their poll letter very carefully.
Voters are reminded that 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 mark as many choices as they wish. Voters are asked to put no other mark on the ballot paper as this could result in their vote not being counted.
The candidates standing in Ward 4 East Sutherland and Edderton are:
- AYREY, Jay – Reform UK
- DE VENNY, Eric – Scottish Liberal Democrats
- MACHIN, Rebecca – Scottish National Party (SNP)
- MURRAY, John – Independent
- SHORT, Eva – Scottish Conservative and Unionist