A printing error has been blamed on a North Wales regional candidate being omitted from tens of thousands of ballot papers across Gwynedd and Anglesey.
The relevant returning officers have confirmed that the advice of the Electoral Commission was sought as a result of the error which saw Michelle Brown’s name failing to appear on the ballot papers of voters living in the Ynys Môn and Arfon constituencies.
Ms Brown, who is based in Staffordshire, was elected as one of the four members representing the North Wales electoral region as a UKIP AM in 2016.
She hit the headlines in 2017 after she was accused of making a racist comment about a then senior Labour politician and was banned from the Senedd for a week.
She also denied claims she smoked drugs in a Cardiff hotel room, the same year.
Having left the party in 2019, she is once again standing as an independent candidate for one of the North Wales regional list seats.
In a joint statement, the returning officers for Ynys Mon (Annwen Morgan), Gwynedd (Dilwyn Williams) and Flintshire (Colin Everett), noted: “Due to a local printing error the Senedd North Wales Regional Ballot Papers for the Arfon constituency in Gwynedd and Ynys Môn do not include the final listed candidate – Michelle Brown, Independent.
“Voters are now being advised of this error as they attend their local polling stations, and are still being given the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice from the full list of nominated parties and candidates.
“The correct ballot papers are being issued across the other parts of the North Wales region.
“We are working closely with the Electoral Commission, which is providing us with advice and guidance on how we can support voters in casting their vote.”
Full list of parties contesting the North Wales regional list:
Abolish the Welsh Assembly
Britain’s Communist Party
Welsh Conservatives
Freedom Alliance. No Lockdowns. No Curfews.
Gwlad – The Welsh Independence Party
Plaid Cymru
Propel
Reform UK – Changing Politics for Good
UKIP Scrap The Assembly/Senedd
Wales Green Party
Welsh Labour
Welsh Liberal Democrats – Put Recovery First
Welsh Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Michelle Brown (Independent)
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here