THE Conservatives have to reprint an election leaflet which has already been delivered and gives false information about the number of votes electors have in a Knutsford Town Council ward.
The leaflet, which has already been delivered to some homes, states: “On Thursday 4 May you have 2 votes. Use them both for your 2 Conservative candidates to get things done in Knutsford Cross Town.”
But the electors have three votes, because there are three seats on Knutsford Town Council up for grabs in that ward.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) contacted both the Conservative’s election agent and the elections office at Cheshire East Council after being made aware of it by resident Sue Addison, who lives in the ward.
Brian Reed, deputy returning officer at Cheshire East Council, said: “We took immediate action when alerted to this matter and contacted the office of Tatton Conservative Party.
“The party’s agent has reassured us that only a few of the leaflets, with the incorrect reference to the number of seats, have been distributed and that the leaflet will be reprinted for distribution with the correct information, making clear that voters can vote for up to three candidates in this parish election.”
The Conservatives are only fielding two candidates for the three seats in this ward – Peter Coan and Tim Regan.
The other two candidates – Lesley Dalzell and Rex Mears – are both Independent.
Cllr Stewart Gardiner, an officer of the Tatton Conservative Association, told the LDRS: “Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. While it was never the Conservative Party’s intention to confuse the electorate, it is recognised that the wording could have been misinterpreted.
“Therefore the Conservative Party has stopped the distribution of the current version of this leaflet and a revised version, employing clearer wording, will be used from here on.”
Sue Addison, who contacted the Knutsford Guardian about the false information on the leaflet, said: “Cross Town is the only area in Knutsford that requires residents to vote on May 4 for the town council elections, as there are four applicants for three town councillor positions.
“All residents have three votes as there are three councillor vacancies, not two votes as stated in the leaflet that Peter Coan and Tim Regan have recently delivered to local homes.
“The Tory candidates are clearly trying to reduce the number of votes for the two Independent candidates, Rex Mears and Lesley Dalzell.
“Circulating misinformation so close to the local elections with limited time to correct it reflects extremely poorly on the Tory candidates as they try to manipulate people for their own gains.”
*For clarity, the LDRS would like to make it clear that Sue Addison is not standing for the town council election, but she is a Labour candidate standing for Knutsford in the Cheshire East Council election.
Other candidates standing for Knutsford in the Cheshire East Council election are Adrian Cardwell, Liberal Democrat; Peter Coan, Conservative; Tony Dean, Conservative; Stewart Gardiner, Conservative; Kevin Harkin, Labour; Amanda Iremonger, Green Party; April Johnson, Independent; Rex Mears, Independent.
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