Moray councillors are preparing for another election campaign after the resignation of a Labour member.
The ward position of Elgin City North was left vacant last week after councillor Barry Jarvis decided to pursue a teaching career.
Labour councillor Sean Morton, who represents Fochabers and Lhanbryde and is in the running for the Moray Labour Westminster seat for 2015, said: “The Moray labour group hold our first meeting on Monday and all Labour party members will be looking to ensure that we have a strong candidate.
“We have always done well in Elgin City North before in what is traditionally an SNP area and I am sure that electing voters will want a Labour candidate.
“Compared with other by-elections we have quite a long time so we will pick wisely.”
Mr Jarvis, who has been the ward representatives for seven years, has returned to university to become a modern studies teacher.
The two councillors currently sitting on the ward are both SNP – Patsy Gowans and Mike Shand.
Polling will take place on Thursday, December 11 with the count and declaration the following day in Elgin Town Hall.
Polling stations will be at Bishopmill Hall, Seafield School, Williamson Hall St Columba’s South and Elgin Community Church, Pinefield.
The election will be conducted proportional representation system in which voters are asked to mark candidates by preference using numbers.
Voters will be able to vote for as many or as few candidates as they wish.
There are currently just over 9400 electorate in this ward, with approximately 1700 previously opting to vote for post.