Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

When the country goes to the polls for the General Election on Thursday, the results could be one of the closest in recent years and with 18 to 24 year olds making up nearly 14 per cent of the electorate the youth vote could be the deciding factor. With this in mind Carmarthenshire County Council has been out to Coleg Sir Gâr campuses around the county, from Pibwrlwyd and Jobs Well campuses in Carmarthen; Ammanford; Gelli Aur in Golden Grove and the Graig in Llanelli, engaging with young voters. Students had their photos taken with a pledge that they will be using their vote on May 7 in front of a green screen in order that they then were superimposed in front of the Houses of Parliament. When talking to students throughout the campaign it was clear that although some students were indecisive and unsure who to vote for or whose policies were relevant to them, the election was certainly a topic of conversation around the campuses. Liah Evans aged 19 from Llanelli, studying at Coleg Si...

There is less than a week to get your application in to vote by proxy for the 2015 UK general election. You can apply to vote by proxy for various reasons including if you are suddenly taken ill up until polling day. Once you’ve applied, your proxy will be sent a proxy polling card, telling them where and when to vote and must go to your local polling place to vote. You must let your proxy know how you want them to vote on your behalf, for example, for which candidate or party. If you are able to go to the polling station on election day, you can still vote in person as long as your proxy has not already done so. In addition, you can also apply for an emergency proxy up until 5pm on polling day if your occupation, service or employment means that you cannot go to the polling station in person, and you only become aware of that fact after 5pm, six working days before polling day. Applications for a proxy vote must be submitted to Carmarthenshire County Council by 5pm on Tuesday,...

Young voters aged 18 and over in Carmarthenshire are being urged not to lose out on the chance to have their say for the first time. The General Election takes place on May 7, and for many it will be the first time to have the chance to influence the way things are run in the country. There’s only a few days left to register to be able to vote. The closing date is Monday, April 20. Alex Harries, aged 19 from Carmarthen who’s voting for the first time at a general election said: ‘It’s really easy to register on line it only took a few minutes. This is my first time to vote at a general election and I will be voting on the 7th of May, as I believe my vote counts.’ It is a legal requirement to register to vote and you must register annually. One of the benefits of registering is that should you ever apply for credit, credit reference agencies can use the register to check your details and if you are not registered you may be refused credit. Carmarthenshire County Council is out and abou...

People in Carmarthenshire are being reminded that they need to be registered to be able to vote in the forthcoming General Election. It will be held on Thursday, May 7, and there are a number of different ways people can vote. Which elections residents can vote in depends on their nationality. If they are a British or Commonwealth citizen living in the UK, they can vote in all elections in Carmarthenshire. If they are a European Union citizen, they can vote in Local and European Parliamentary elections, but not General Parliamentary elections. People who have moved recently or are not registered to vote, need to complete an application form either online or apply to the elections office by no later than Monday, April 20. Those who require a postal vote for this election, must complete and send an application to the Acting Returning Officer by no later than 5pm on Tuesday, April 21. For those who choose to vote by post, a postal vote pack will be sent to them around 10 days before th...

People can find out information on voting and polling stations at an event taking place in Llanelli at the end of this month. Carmarthenshire County Council’s Electoral Services Manager Amanda Bebb will be at The Hub  in Stepney Street all day on Monday, March 30. She can check if people are registered to vote in the next parliamentary election on May 7. If they are not, Amanda can register them. People can also apply to have a postal vote, discuss any support they may need, or ask any questions about their local polling station. Amanda said: “I hope people take the opportunity to come along, I am happy to discuss any queries regarding elections or the voting process. “We encourage everyone to use their vote, so we need to ensure as many people as possible are registered, and that they have all the information they need to make choices about their preferred method of voting.”