Gainsborough: Six are in the race to represent Gainsborough in Parliament

File photo dated 06/05/2010 of a voter placing a ballot paper in the ballot box at the polling station at Market Hall in Swadlincote, Derbyshire. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Wednesday January 25, 2012. The law should be changed before the next general election to ensure voters queuing at the ballot box cannot be turned away at the close of polls, a cross-party committee of peers urged today. The House of Lords Constitution Committee called for legislation guaranteeing that voters who are at a polling station before 10pm are entitled to cast their ballot. See PA story POLITICS Voting. Photo credit should read: Rui Vieira/PA Wire

A poll for the election of Member of Parliament for Gainsborough will be held on Thursday 7th May 2015 between 7am and 10pm.

Six people have come forward in a bid to represent Gainsborough and the candidates are Sir Edward Leigh of the Conserative Party, the Labour candidate is David Prescott, the Liberal Democrat candidate is Lesley Rollings, UKIP’s candidate is John Saxon, the Green Party candidate is Geoffrey Barnes and the Independent Party candidate is Chris Darcel.

Sir Edward has held the seat since 1983 and in the 2010 General election won with a majority of 10,559.

To make sure your vote counts, your name must be included in the electoral register.

Under the new Individual Electoral Registration system, you now take individual responsibility for your own registration. Voters can still apply to have their name included on the electoral register, and are advised to do this as soon as possible before the deadline of Monday 20th April.

The quickest and easiest way to register is online www.gov.uk/register-to-vote or by contacting the elections office if you do not have internet access.

Anyone on the electoral register can now also apply for a postal vote. You can be sent an application form from the elections office. Forms can also be downloaded from the council’s website at www.west-lindsey.gov.uk.

Ballot papers will be sent out two weeks before the election for you to cast your vote.

You are assured that postal voting follows strict secrecy rules and you are guaranteed that no one else will know how you have voted.

Each elector entitled to vote will receive a poll card which will give details of their local polling station or for a full list of polling stations at www.west-lindsey.gov.uk.