Voters across North Ayrshire will go to the polls on Thursday, May 5, to select the 33 councillors who will represent them on North Ayrshire Council. Voting will open at 7am on May 5 with polling places closing at 10pm.
For those who have opted to vote by post, please return your completed postal voting pack as soon as possible. If you are too late to return it by post, you can hand it in at any Polling Place on Thursday, May 5.
Voters are reminded that this election will see a number of changes since the last local elections in 2017.
Following a review by Boundaries Scotland, North Ayrshire will have nine wards from next week.
The new wards, and number of councillors to be elected to represent them, are:
| Ward | Number of Councillors to be elected |
| 01 – North Coast | 5 |
| 02 – Garnock Valley | 5 |
| 03 – Ardrossan | 3 |
| 04 – Arran | 1 |
| 05 – Saltcoats and Stevenston | 5 |
| 06 – Kilwinning | 4 |
| 07 – Irvine West | 4 |
| 08 – Irvine East | 3 |
| 09 – Irvine South | 3 |
|
TOTAL |
33 |
This election will also utilise the Single Transferable Vote system (STV). This system, which has been in place for Council elections since 2007, requires voters to list their choices in numerical order.
Voters can vote for as many, or as few, candidates as they wish but must use numbers, not an X or any other mark. For example, marking a 1 next to their first choice, a 2 next to their second choice, and a 3 next to their third choice and so on.
In addition, local government elections also give the right to vote to those who are aged 16 and 17 on election day, as long as they are registered to vote.
Returning Officer Craig Hatton said: “These elections are vitally important as our residents will be electing people to represent them on matters which directly affect them.
“I hope as many people as possible exercise their democratic right to vote and ensure their voice is heard.”
Following the closing of polling places at 10pm on Thursday, May 5, the electronic verification and counting of votes will be held the following day, Friday, May 6. Results for individual wards will be announced via North Ayrshire Council’s Twitter and Facebook channels as they become available.
A full suite of all Electronic Count reports will then be made available on the Council’s website as soon as possible after the close of the eCount.
For more information on the election, the new boundaries and the candidates standing in your area, visit www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/elections
