October 3020 Wiltshire Local Elections

The October 3020 Wiltshire Local Elections will be held on 2 October 3020 to elect the executive heads (Mayors) of the cities of Arches, Juneville, Newton and Washington. The elections were announced on 20 August 3020 by the Elections Authority following the 3020 re-organization of the Government of Wiltshire. According to the Third Elections Act 3020, Mayors are to serve a term of one year. These local elections also coincide with the elections for the Arches City Council and the Walkerton City Council.

Electoral system

Mayors

The election of Mayors will take place using a ranked ballot. Electors will be given the opportunity to rank all official candidates. In order to win the election, one candidate must win a majority of first preference votes. If this does not happen, all but the top two candidates in first preference votes are eliminated with the votes of the eliminated candidates being assigned to their next remaining choice.

In order to become an official candidate and appear on the ballot, perspective candidates must meet the requirements laid out by the Wiltshire Elections Authority. For election as a Mayor, this includes meeting two of the four following requirements;

Mayoral candidate ballot requirement;

• Being an incumbent Mayor (in this election, being the Leader of the City Council meets this requirement);
• Party currently holding seats on the City Council;
• Reach 1,000 signatures on a ballot petition;
• Reach 400 individual donors.

City Council

The City is divided up into a set number of Wards. For the elections taking place on 2 October, the number of Wards is as follows;

City	Number of Wards
Arches	30
Walkerton	43

In addition to the Wards, 20 additional seats are granted. City Council elections run on the same Mixed-Member Proportional system as national elections, with electors voting for a) Ward representative, and b) party.

This results in two sets of requirements. Firstly, the requirements for a party to appear on the Party vote ballot and the requirements for an individual candidate to appear on the specific Ward ballot. The requirements, as laid out by the Election Authority, is as follows with nomination requiring two of the three following requirements;

Party Vote ballot requirement;

• Currently hold seats on the City Council;
• Reach 1,000 signatures on a ballot petition;
• Reach 400 individual donors.

Ward vote ballot requirement;

• Currently hold a seat on the City Council;
• Reach 75 signatures on a ballot petition;
• Reach 20 individual donors.

Election for Mayor of Arches

The position of Mayor of Arches was established under the 3020 re-organization. The leader of the East Arches Local Authority, Councillor Bryn Walter-Jones (Labour) has announced he intends to seek the position. In addition, Councillor Helen Richards (Liberal Conservative) has announced her intention and won the LibCon nomination.

This election isn't expected to be a majorly contested one. However, the Arches is a traditionally close area in national elections and could become a close race.

Candidate	Party	Popular vote	%
Bryn Walter-Jones	Labour	TBD
Helen Richard	Liberal Conservative	TBD
Wilber James	KRV	TBD
Ellie Johnston	United Wiltshire	TBD

Election for Mayor of Juneville

The position of Mayor of Juneville was established under the 3020 re-organization. The leader of the Juneville Council, Hugh Merry, announced that he would seek the position. In addition, Bill Woodking, the husband of Sonya Inyo, the Leader of the Opposition, announced he would seek office as Mayor of Juneville. Woodking is the official nominee for the Liberal Conservative Party. In early September, the Liberal Party of Wiltshire announced that Tom North would stand as a candidate for their new party.

Candidate	Party	Popular vote	%
Hugh Merry	Socialist	TBD
Bill Woodking	Liberal Conservative	TBD
William Tork	Labour	TBD
Teddy Brighton	KRV	TBD
Tom North	Liberal	TBD

Election for Mayor of Newton

The position of Mayor of Newton was established under the 3020 re-organization. The Liberal Conservatives have nominated Ryan Westbrooke, the younger brother of Shadow Chancellor Jack L. Wilson and Labour has nominated Stockard Jo, a local councillor and businesswoman.

Candidate	Party	Popular vote	%
Ryan Westbrooke	Liberal Conservative	TBD
Stockard Jo	Labour	TBD
Alan North	United Wiltshire	TBD

Election for Mayor of Washington

Incumbent Mayor Alberto Siliotti has announced he will not seek re-election as Mayor, citing his intention to remain a member of the Wiltshire National Assembly. In his place, Henley Halifax (Labour Assembly Member) announced he will seek the position. The Liberal Conservative candidate, Giana DeCapricorn, defeated former Green Party Mayor Ernest Stone for the LibCon nomination.

Candidate	Party	Popular vote	%
Henley Halifax	Labour	TBD
Giana DeCapricorn	Liberal Conservative	TBD
Leah Johnson	Liberal	TBD