Political parties in Monmouthshire have been shaping up for a December general election.

While the prospect of an early general election has been discussed in political circles for several months, last week, 12th December was confirmed as the date for when voters will be heading to the polls.

Monmouthshire County Council have said that due to the short notice of this election, residents may receive polling information later than for previous elections.

To vote in the election, residents must be included on the electoral roll. Applications to join the electoral roll must be received no later than Monday 26th November 2019.

Residents who have received a poll card for these elections at their address are already registered and eligible to vote.

Residents who are not registered are encouraged to go online to apply at www.gov.uk/registertovote

It is also possible to apply for the appropriate forms or check their name is on the register by contacting Monmouthshire County Council’s election office on 01633 644212 or by emailing [email protected]

Applications for a postal ballot must be submitted by 5pm on Tuesday 26th November.

Postal votes will be sent to residents around the 29th November and 2nd December depending on when the application was received.

Proxy application forms are also available, which enable someone else to vote on an individual’s behalf.

Applications for proxy votes need to be submitted by 5pm on 4th December.

A December snap election has been speculated over for some time, with several failed attempts being made by the prime minister to get a bill through the House of Commons to have one.

After the national ambassadors from the other 27 EU member states allowed an extension up to 31st January, 437 MPs voted for a snap general election on the 12th December and only 20 voted against.

Monmouthshire parties have been preparing for a possible winter election for several months and most have selected their prospective parliamentary candidates.

However, nominations do not close until 4pm 14th November so until then, nothing is set in stone.

Election pacts may be formed in the run-up to the nominations closing with hopes to unify pro-remain or pro-Brexit voters behind a single candidate or party.

Most of the parties which usually stand in the Monmouth constituency have selected their prospective candidates. David TC Davies has been reselected by the Conservative Party.

Yvonne Murphy from Penarth has been selected to stand on behalf of the Labour Party, Alison Willot who lives near Raglan is the Liberal Democrats’ chosen candidate, Ian Chandler from Skenfrith is the prospective candidate for the Green Party and Hugh Kocan who lives in Abergavenny has been selected to represent for Plaid Cymru.

Renew, a party new to both Monmouth and the national stage, calling themselves a centrist, pro-Brexit party have selected June Davies as their provisional candidate.

This general election is likely to have a strong Brexit theme not dissimilar to 2017’s general election. Labour, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Greens have all come out in favour of a people’s vote, whereas the Conservatives have said they desire a parliamentary majority so that they can complete Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union.

While Monmouth has generally been seen as a ’safe’ Conservative seat, the seat has been won by Labour three separate times since the 1960s.