AROUND 3,800 people who voted in the Taunton constituency at the last General Election will be putting their cross on the ballot paper in a different patch this time round.
The Parliamentary constituency currently represented by LibDem Jeremy Browne is losing the part of Exmoor it includes.
It will cover the same area as Taunton Deane Council and has accordingly been renamed Taunton Deane constituency.
Voters in Exford, Exmoor, Withypool, Hawkridge, Brompton Regis, Bury, Huish Champflower, Skilgate, Upton, Exton, Winsford, Cutcombe, Brushford and Dulverton will transfer to the new Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency – a seat currently held by Conservative Ian Liddell-Grainger.
The Boundary Commission has brought in the changes to balance the number of electors in each constituency and to clarify boundaries.
While the Taunton constituency loses almost 50% of its area, it will only drop about 4.5% of its voters.
Taunton Deane Council’s electoral services manager Craig Morse said: “People need to be aware of the changes when they vote in the General Election.
“Nearer the time, all voters will receive a polling card with all the relevant details and it’s important people take note of this information.”
People in the Taunton constituency who have not yet registered to vote can do so by calling the electoral services team at Taunton Deane Council on 01823-356316.
The latest the General Election could be held is Thursday, June 3, although it is widely predicted it will be on Friday, May 6 to coincide with local elections in some parts of the country.
*The four people who have announced they plan to stand in the poll come head to head in Taunton Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Business Matters’ Parliamentary Question Time session at Queen’s College, Taunton, at 7.30pm on Friday, march 5.
Guests will be able to put questions to panel members Jeremy Browne (LibDem), Mark Formosa (Conservative), Martin Jevon (Labour) and Tony McIntyre (UKIP).
See what they say about the boundary changes in this Thursday's Somerset County Gazette.
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