CANDIDATES have started hitting the campaign trail in St Helens as the race towards the general election on July 4 gathers pace.

St Helens North will see a new MP elected to replace outgoing incumbent Conor McGinn, while Labour’s Marie Rimmer is seeking to defend the St Helens South and Whiston seat she has held since 2015.

Former St Helens Council leader David Baines is standing as the Labour candidate for the St Helens North constituency.

Other confirmed candidates for the seat at the time of writing include Malcolm Webster, who is standing for Reform UK, Pat Moloney, standing for the Liberal Democrats, and Daniel Thomas, for the Green Party.

Meanwhile, in St Helens South and Whiston, Marie Rimmer is seeking to defend the seat she has held since 2015 for Labour.

Other confirmed candidates for the constituency are ex-St Helens Council leader and Sutton South East councillor Brian Spencer for the Liberal Democrats, Terence Price, for the Green Party, and independent candidate, Rainhill councillor James Tasker.

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In 2019, despite a heavy defeat nationally, Labour won St Helens North with a majority of 12,209, while Ms Rimmer held St Helens South and Whiston with a majority of 19,122.

The deadline for candidates to submit nomination papers is 4pm on Friday, June 7.

How to vote in the General Election

If they are not already, people need to register to vote. The deadline to register is midnight on Tuesday, June 18. You can register online at gov.uk/register-to-vote or by contacting the Elections Team on 01744 676464.

Voting at the Polling Station

People voting at a polling station are now legally required to provide an accepted form of photo ID before being provided with their ballot paper.

All acceptable forms of Photo ID are listed at sthelens.gov.uk/voter-id, or can be found at electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/voter-id

Anyone who does not have an acceptable form of Photo ID, can apply for a free voter ID. The deadline to apply for the general election is Wednesday, June 26at 5pm.

To apply, go to electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/voter-id/applying-a-voter-authority-certificate

Postal and Proxy votes

People can apply for a postal vote online at gov.uk/apply-postal-vote. The deadline to apply for a postal vote for this election is 5pm on Wednesday, June 19.

It is recommend any elector who is going on holiday from Saturday, June 22 who will not return before Thursday, July 4, make an application to appoint another person as a proxy to vote on their behalf gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote. The deadline to make a proxy application is 5pm on Wednesday, June 26. The person appointed as a proxy, must be registered to vote and they will need to show their (the proxy not the elector) Photo ID before they are issued with a ballot paper.

Voting if you live outside of the UK

British citizens who live outside the UK can register to vote as an overseas elector. Visit gov.uk/voting-when-abroad for more.

To request any paper application forms please email elections@sthelens.gov.uk or call 01744 676464.