The list of candidates for the upcoming Moray Council election has been unveiled.
A total of 42 people have put their names forward, hoping to be elected as one of the region’s 26 councillors.
Elgin City South, Forres, Heldon and Laich and Elgin City North all have six people contesting each ward.
Three other wards have five people vying for seats.
Meanwhile, Buckie has already elected its three councillors after only three people put their names forward.
The new councillors are Sonya Warren from the SNP, Lib Dem Christopher Thomas Price and Conservative Neil McLennan.
The election takes place on May 5.
Of the 42 candidates confirmed, there are six Independents, nine SNP, six Liberal Democrats, 11 Conservative, five Labour, three Green and two listed as other.
A total of 14 councillors from 2017’s intake are not standing again.
The list
Ward 1: Speyside Glenlivet
Walter Wilson and Louise Nicol are stepping down, Derek Ross is running again.
- Elidh Myrvang Brown, Green
- David Gordon, Conservative
- Juli Harris, SNP
- David Philip McHutchon, Sovereignty
- Derek Ross (incumbent), Independent
Ward 2: Keith and Cullen
Donald Gatt and Theresa Coull are running. Laura Powell is stepping down.
- William Keith Barclay, Family
- Tracy Colyer, Conservative
- Leslie Tarr, Liberal Democrat
- Donald Gatt (incumbent), Conservative
- Theresa Coull (incumbent), SNP
Ward 3: Buckie
Sonya Warren is running again, Tory leader Tim Eagle and Gordon Cowie are stepping down.
As only three people put their names forward, this election is uncontested and the new councillors are:
- Sonya Warren (incumbent), SNP
- Christopher Thomas Price, Liberal Democrat
- Neil McLennan, Conservative
There has not been an uncontested ward in Moray since the introduction of multi-member wards.
The last time was in 2003 under the First Past the Post (FPTP) system, when there were 26 wards.
Ward 4: Fochabers Lhanbryde
Marc Macrae, Dave Bremmer and Shona Morrison are all running again.
- Marc Macrae (incumbent), Conservative
- Donald John Craig Cameron, Liberal Democrat
- Dave Bremmer (incumbent), SNP
- Shona Morrison (incumbent), SNP
- Ben Williams, Labour
Ward 5: Heldon and Laich
Ryan Edwards and Amy Taylor are stepping down. John Cowe and James Allan are running again.
- Neil Cameron, SNP
- James Allan (incumbent), Conservative
- Calum Cameron, Liberal Democrat
- John Cowe (incumbent) , Independent
- Bridget Mustard, Conservative
- Andrew O’Neill, Labour
Ward 6: Elgin City North
Frank Brown and Maria McLean are both standing down.
- Amber Dunbar, Conservative
- Jérémie Fernandes, SNP
- Graham Jarvis, Independent
- Rebecca Jane Kail, Green
- Neil Alexander, Liberal Democrats
- Sandy Keith, Labour
Ward 7: Elgin City South
Ray Mclean is standing down, council leader Graham Leadbitter and Labour’s John Divers are standing again.
- Graham Leadbitter (incumbent), SNP
- Peter Bloomfield, Conservative
- Bernard Matthew Salmon, Liberal Democrat
- Michaela French, Independent
- John Divers (incumbent), Labour
- Paul Briggs, Independent
Ward 8: Forres
All four councillors – George Alexander, Lorna Creswell, Aaron McLean and Claire Feaver– are stepping down.
- Paul McBain, Conservative
- James Hynam, Labour
- Shaun Mout, Independent
- Kathleen Robertson, Conservative
- Draeyk Van Der Horn, Green
- Scott Lawrence, SNP
