Issued on behalf of The Returning Officer
Polling will take place on Thursday 1 October 2026 to elect one candidate standing in the Ward 3 Wick and East Caithness by-election. Voters in this Ward are being reminded to make sure they are ready to cast their vote.
Anyone over 16 years old who is living in the Ward is eligible to take part in this by-election if they are registered to vote. To register to vote visit gov.uk/register-to-vote or alternatively phone the Electoral Registration Office on 0800 393783 for assistance. The last date to register to vote in this by-election is midnight on Tuesday 15 September 2026.
Voters will be able to cast their vote in person on the day by visiting their polling station or they can apply for either a postal vote or appoint a proxy which is requesting someone to vote on their behalf.
Advice on postal and proxy voting is available by phoning the Electoral Registration Office on 0800 393783 or emailing ero@highland.gov.uk
Poll letters for this by-election have been mailed out. Voters are asked to check their poll letter very carefully so they know where they need to go to cast their vote in person on Thursday 1 October.
Some voters may prefer to vote by post and there is still time to do this. The latest time to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Wednesday 16 September 2026 and the deadline for anyone wishing to appoint a proxy, which is someone to vote on their behalf, is 5pm on Wednesday 23 September 2026.
The candidates standing are:
- BUCHANAN, Dave – Independent
- CALDER, Julie – Scottish Liberal Democrats
- GIBSON, Charlotte – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
- GLEN, John – Scottish National Party (SNP)
- RICHMOND, Iain – Reform UK
Further information on the Ward 3 By-election is on the Council’s website - www.highland.gov.uk/byelection