7th April 2010
Alistair Dodds, Chief Executive of The Highland Council, is the Returning Officer for the following three parliamentary constituencies:-
* Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (8,752 sq km) - 47,263 electors;
* Ross, Skye and Lochaber (12,779 sq km.) - 51,934 electors;
* Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (4,953 sq km.) - 72,390 electors.
He will be assisted in running the election by Senior Depute Returning Officer, Michelle Morris, as well as Depute Returning Officers, Ian Hargrave, Bob Cameron, William Gilfillan and John Bruce.
The Returning Officer will receive the writ to run the elections in the three constituencies on Tuesday 13 April. Polling cards will be posted to the 171,587 electors on Wednesday 14 April. The notice of election seeking nominations must be published by 4 pm on Thursday 15 April. The last date for receipt of applications to be included on the register of electors for this election is Tuesday 20 April. Anyone who is uncertain as to whether or not they are registered can check via freefone 0800 393 783.
The deadline for the nomination for candidates is 4.00 pm on Tuesday 20 April. The deadline for objections to nominations and for applications to vote by post is 5.00 pm on Tuesday 20 April.
On Thursday 6 May, 2010, polling will take place between 7 am - 10 pm at a total of 294 polling stations in the three constituencies:
* Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross -76 polling stations;
* Ross, Skye and Lochaber -115 polling stations;
* Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey; 103 polling stations.
The counts will take place overnight 6/7 May - starting as soon after 10 pm as possible on 6 May - at the following locations:-
Assembly Rooms, Wick - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Leisure Centre, Dingwall - Ross, Skye and Lochaber
Inverness Leisure Centre, Bught - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey