Moray Council have opened the nominations stage for candidates wishing to contest the Elgin City North by-election in December.
The election has been called for Thursday, December 11 and follows the resignation of Labour councillor Barry Jarvis.
Candidates will have until 4pm on Friday, November 7 to lodge nomination papers for the ward which covers the Bishopmill, Seafield, Linksfield, Kingsmills, East End, Pinefield, Tyock, Ashgrove, Moycroft, Chanonry and Waulkmill areas of Elgin.
The election will be using the single transferable vote system, where voters can select as many or as few candidates as they wish, ranking them in order of preference.
Counting for the election will return to Elgin Town Hall the day after polling with the venue reopening after extensive refurbishment works.
Voters in the Elgin City North ward who wish to apply for a postal or proxy vote, or who need to update or change their details for the electoral register, have until Monday, November 24 to contact the electoral registration office on 01343 541203.
Alternatively they can e-mail elgin@grampian-vjb.gov.uk or visit www.votemoray.org
Prospective candidates who wish a candidate nomination pack should contact the elections office on 01343 563334 or e-mail election.enquiries@moray.gov.uk
One candidate who has already declared his intentions to contest the seat is 19-year-old former Gordonstoun student Alex Griffiths, who will be the Scottish Conservative candidate. A former member of the Moray Youth Council, Mr Griffiths is currently studying history at Aberystwyth University.