Voters go to the polls today (Thursday) for the Buckie by-election to choose a new councillor after a shock resignation.
With one seat up for grabs, leaflets and information outlining pledges have been distributed to voters.
Here, we bring together all the information about each candidate together as a last reminder.
So who are they?
Why the Buckie by-election is being held
This by-election was sparked by Lib Dems Christopher Price resigning after just three months in the role.
He said he was struggling to balance his council duties with his full-time job.
Mr Price was the first Lib Dem to sit on the local authority since before the multi-member ward system came into being in 2007.
Meanwhile, locals said it made Moray Council look like “a laughing stock across Scotland”.
Independent candidate Neil Houlden, Labour’s Keighly Goudie, Liberal Democrats’ Les Tarr, Tories’ Tim Eagle and SNP’s John Stuart will face off to decide who will become Buckie’s third councillor.
The current councillors are independent Neil McLennan and SNP’s Sonya Warren.
Who is the SNP’s candidate?
Meet John Stuart who is bidding to join party colleague Sonya Warren in the ward.
The care inspector for Care Inspectorate has worked in social care with older people and adults with learning disabilities for around 26 years.
He also started the Buckie Kindness Group which led community efforts in Buckie to help people during the Coronavirus pandemic.
His pledges include:
- Campaigning to secure a new Buckie High School
- Strong Buckie voice at Moray Council
- Support more wraparound (like breakfast clubs and after-school clubs) childcare.
Familiar face makes comeback bid for Moray Tories
Former Moray Tory group leader Tim Eagle is making a comeback bid in the looming by-election.
The former councillor served the area from May 2017 until the last council election where he stepped down citing the negative impact of social media on family life.
His bid comes as he believes Buckie needs “strong” councillors who will fight for the town and villages.
He also promises to fight to deliver a new Buckie High School after “growing frustrated” about it not being a priority for a new build.
Will Liberal Dems return to ward after colleague resigning?
Les Tarr is bidding to replace his party colleague in the Buckie by-election.
The former union worker says he would be “fully committed” if elected as a councillor.
Liberal Democrats say they will focus on local issues rather than fighting with other parties.
His pledges:
- Support the replacement of Buckie High School.
- Review local mental health services.
- Propose new after-school clubs to support working adults.
Labour’s candidate is NHS nurse
Keighly Goudie is a registered nurse working for NHS Grampian.
Following a career in cardiology at Nottingham University Hospital, Keighly came to work in community practice in Moray and Banffshire. She is currently training as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner.
Labour has not contested the new Buckie ward in over 15 years.
She promises to “act with urgency” for locals.
Who is the independent candidate?
Marine worker Neil Houlden is standing as an independent candidate.
He has lived in Buckie for four years with his family and works for Wartsila as a sales development manager.
Mr Houlden is also the current Cluny Primary School parent council chairman.
He wants to bring groups together to help the town and is looking at more afternoon school activities.
Conversation