Jennifer Kelly has replaced her father as a South Kintyre councillor after a landslide win in a by-election in the ward on Thursday (November 2).
The independent candidate was up against four others – Joe Cunningham (Scottish Conservative and Unionist), Kenny MacKenzie (Scottish Liberal Democrats), Alan McManus (For Future’s Sake – Freedom Alliance) and John Richardson (Scottish National Party) – bidding for a single seat, following Councillor Donald Kelly’s resignation from Argyll and Bute Council in August.
The electorate was 5,088 and the number of ballot papers received was 1,592, giving a percentage turnout of 31.3 per cent. There were 10 rejected ballot papers. The quota of votes for a candidate to be elected was 792.
The number of first preference votes for each of the candidates was: Joe Cunningham, Scottish Conservative and Unionist – 208; Jennifer Kelly, Independent – 913; Kenny MacKenzie, Scottish Liberal Democrats – 183; Alan McManus, For Future’s Sake – Freedom Alliance – 7; John Richardson, Scottish National Party – 271.
The new Councillor Kelly will serve alongside the ward’s two other councillors, Councillor John Armour (Scottish National Party) and Councillor Tommy Macpherson (Independent).