Conservatives win Keith and Cullen by-election
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CONSERVATIVE candidate Laura Powell has won the Keith and Cullen by-election.
The by-election, billed as a barometer ahead of the upcoming General Election, was held after the resignation of independent councillor Ron Shepherd from Moray Council.
Laura Powell was elected after stage three of the single transferable vote process with a total of 1339 votes.
Ms Powell, from Portknockie, received 41.5 per cent (1142) of the first preference votes – an increase on the Conservatives total of 32.7 per cent at the election in 2017.
The SNP's total vote count was down 1.6 per cent – although they stood one candidate this time instead of two. Their candidate, Jock McKay, came second with 38.1 per cent of the vote (a total of 1047).
Independent candidate Rob Barsby, the only returning candidate, was eliminated at stage two – and got 349 first preference votes (12.7 per cent). The Liberal Democrats, standing in Keith and Cullen for the first time, got 212 votes (7.7 per cent).
The turnout was 2775 (33.9 per cent), with 25 ballots not accepted.
