Ascension : Press Release St Helena - Get Ready for the By-Election
Submitted by The Islander (Ascension Island Government) 07.08.2008 (Article Archived on 21.08.2008)

St. Helena Public Relations/Information Office - The announcement of Councillor John Reid’s resignation should have started people thinking about who will be the new councillor in the West Electoral Area.

Today, Governor Gurr issued the Writs of Election calling upon the Returning Officer, to conduct a By-Election in the West Electoral Area. A red notice was also published informing people of where they can collect nomination forms, how these should be filled in, and when they should be delivered.

Nomination Day has been set for Friday 8 August 2008 but if people are nominating public servants, they should already have approached them. This is because public servants need to seek written permission from the Acting Chief Secretary by today 1 August before they can stand for election. No permission is required if people are nominating someone who is not a public servant. All candidates must, however be 21 years of age or older and be registered electors.

Nominations will have to be made on the prescribed form which must be signed by a proposer, seconder and at least five supporters. All of these people must be registered electors in the West Electoral Area but the candidate can come from any area.  Candidates must however give their consent, in writing, to be nominated to stand for election and this must accompany the nomination form. Remember also, that on the nomination form, all signatures must be witnessed and the signatures of the proposer and seconder will have to be witnessed by a Justice of the Peace.

Justices of the Peace are Mrs Pat Musk MBE, Miss Jenny Corker MBE, Mr Peter Francis, Mr David Clark MBE, Mrs Patsy Flagg, Mr Dougie Bennett, Mr Harry Legg OBE, Mr Desmond Wade, Mrs Barbara A George, Mrs Ruth Pridham, Mr Ronald Coleman, Mr Vincent March, and Mr John Cranfield.

Once the forms have been completed, nominations will have to be delivered to the Returning Officer at the Kinghurst Community Centre between 10am and 12noon on Friday 8 August 2008.

It is important to note that nomination forms will not be accepted if they contain more than one candidate’s name. Forms will also be rejected if they are not signed and witnessed, or if they are not accompanied by a letter from the Candidate giving written consent.

The Office of the Chief Secretary has placed nomination forms in Thorpe’s Shop at Sandy Bay, Solomon’s Shop at Sandy Bay, the Sandy Bay Community Centre, Solomon’s Shop at Guinea Grass, Mrs Audrey Yon’s Shop at Blue Hill, the Kinghurst Community Centre, the Police Post at White Gate, the Half Tree Hollow Community Centre, the Half Tree Hollow Supermarket and the Police Post at Half Tree Hollow.

In addition, nomination forms can be collected from the following Assistant Registration Officers: Miss Michel Yon, Mrs Karen Yon, Mrs Connie Johnson, Mr John Lawrence, Mrs Maria Yon, Mrs Lorrian Yon, Mr Harold Francis, Mrs Phyllis Coleman and Miss Anita Legg. Alternatively, nomination forms can be sent to you by contacting the Assistant Returning Officer, Gillian Francis on telephone 2193.

Copies of the Register of Electors can also be viewed at all of the above venues or by asking any of the Assistant Registration Officers or the Clerk of Councils.

If you require any help or further information, please contact Gillian Francis, Assistant Returning Officer on telephone 2193 or you can visit her in person at the Castle.

If there is more than one candidate, Polling Day will take place on Wednesday 3 September 2008.

Public Relations/Information Office,

Office of the Chief Secretary

1 August 2008