FIFTY-FOUR candidates will battle for the 32 seats up for grabs at this week’s elections to East Ayrshire Council.

Voters go to the polls tomorrow (Thursday, May 5) to determine which party will take control of the council and determine the area’s priorities for the next five years.

Across the council area the SNP have the most candidates, with 17, while there are 11 Labour candidates, nine Conservatives and nine independents.

The field is completed by three Liberal Democrat candidates, three from Alba and one Green.

The full list of people standing in each ward and the party they will represent on election day on May 5, is as follows.

Ballochmyle

Linda Hollan (LAB)

Claire Leitch (SNP)

William Lennox (SNP)

Stephen McCarron (LAB)

David Shaw (–)

Alyson Simmons (CON)

Cumnock and New Cumnock

Billy Crawford (LAB)

June Kyle (LAB)

Jim McMahon (SNP)

Jacqui Todd (SNP)

Neill Watts (CON)

Fraser Wright (LD)

Doon Valley

John Bell (IND)

Drew Filson (IND)

Samantha Hainey (CON)

Murray Hendrie (IND)

Jennifer Hogg (SNP)

Elaine Stewart (LAB)

Annick

John Cairns (IND)

Stephen Canning (SNP)

Ellen Freel (IND)

Wendy Hannah (SNP)

John McFadzean (CON)

John McGhee (LAB)

Kilmarnock North

Elaine Cowan (SNP)

Ian Grant (–)

Allan Macdonald (CON)

Wendy MacDonald (ALBA)

Maureen McKay (LAB)

David William Richardson (SNP)

Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse

James Adams (CON)

Elizabeth Anne Brown (GRE)

Lillian Jones (LAB)

Iain Linton (SNP)

Frank McNiff (IND)

Guy Njali Bola (ALBA)

Douglas Reid (SNP)

Kilmarnock East and Hurlford

Graham Barton (SNP)

Graham Boyd (IND)

Barry Douglas (LAB)

Trevor Grant (LD)

Jon Herd (CON)

Neal Ingram (SNP)

Kilmarnock South

Robin Bawa (CON)

Peter Mabon (LAB)

Clare Maitland (SNP)

Stewart John McLintock (ALBA)

Jim Todd (SNP)

Keyrin James von Doring (LIB)

Irvine Valley

Beverley Michele Clark (SNP)

Sally Jane Cogley (RP)

Susan McFadzean (CON)

Kevin McGregor (LAB)

Lee-Anne Margaret To (SNP)

Ahead of the council elections, voters are being reminded of some simple steps they can take to make sure they can have their say on the day.

First, check where you should vote.

Details of your polling station will be on your poll card.

If you have not received it or are unsure of where to go to vote, call the election office helpline on 01563 576555. Polling stations will be open from 7am – 10pm.

Second, bring your poll card with you to the polling station as it will speed things up.

But don’t worry if you don’t have it; you can still vote without it.

In this election, you will need to vote using numbers. On your ballot paper, you should number the candidates in order of preference by placing a 1 next to your first choice, a 2 next to your second choice, a 3 next to your third choice and so on.

You can make as many or as few choices as you wish. As long as you number at least one candidate, your vote will be counted.

Voters are advised not to mark the ballot paper in any other way or their vote may not count.

Finally, if you have a postal vote but have left it too late to post back, you can drop it off at any polling station within the East Ayrshire voting area before 10pm on the day of the election.

Covid measures will be in place at polling stations to help you vote safely.

All polling stations are also fully accessible.

Staff are trained to help disabled electors.