IN just under three weeks, people in Sedgemoor will go to the polls in three crucial votes.

As well as electing the MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset Constituency for the next five years, the council’s 23 wards consisting of 48 councillors are also up for grabs along with dozens of parish council seats.

The current political make-up for the district council is 31 Conservatives, 13 Labour, two Liberal Democrats and two Independents.

The area is split into 23 wards, each electing one or more councillors depending on the density of the ward’s population.

These 48 councillors form the full council and are responsible for co-ordinating its policy objectives, monitoring and evaluating the quality of services, controlling the overall spending of the council and assessing priorities in the light of competing demands.

Nominations to stand in all three elections closed last week.

Candidates standing for council wards in the Bridgwater area, including prospective MPs, include: Election for the member of Parliament for the Bridgwater and West Somerset Constituency: Theo Butt Philip (Lib Dem), Stephen Fitzgerald (UKIP), Julie Harvey-Smith (Green), Mick Lerry (Lab), Ian Liddell-Grainger (Con)

Bridgwater Dunwear: Pele James Barnes (Con), Lorna Ann Philippa King (Lib Dem), Christine Louise McGinty (Con), Leigh Paul Redman (Lab), Diogo Rodrigues (Lab), Richard Scammell (UKIP)

Bridgwater Eastover: Linda Bareham-Stanley (Con), Moira Brown (Lab), Michael David Hill (Con), Camael King (Lib Dem), Dave Loveridge (Lab)

Bridgwater Fairfax: Janice Joanna Somers Beasley (Lib Dem), Mike Cresswell (Con), Jim Donoghue (Con), Alex Glassford (Lab), Graham John Granter (Lab), Wayne John Pearce (Con) Reginald Charles Winslow (Lab)

Bridgwater Hamp: James Cockram (Con), Andrew Ivor Danniells (Con) Wesley John Hinckes (Lab), Adrian John Moore (Lab)

Bridgwater Victoria: Barrie Clive Crow (Con), Lance John Duddridge (Con), Mick Lerry (Lab), Roderick Silvester Sidney Lukins (UKIP), Siobhan Wilson (Lab)

Bridgwater Westover: Barbara Fisher (Lib Dem), Kathy Pearce (Lab), Jeffrey Donald Searle (Con), Brian David Smedley (Lab), John Douglas Watts (Con)

Bridgwater Wyndham: Rachael Helen Caswell (Con), Peter Ian Johnstone (Lib Dem), Liz Leavy (Lab), Gill Slocombe (Con), Caroline Wilkins (Lab)

Cannington & Wembdon: Alan James Beasley (Lib Dem), Ann Bown (Con), Ian Dyer (Con), Allan Jeffery (Green)

Huntspill & Pawlett: Susanna Louise Peel Craig (Lib Dem), Terry Peers (Green), John Charles Woodman (Con)

Knoll: Bob Filmer (Con), Isobel Fotheringham (UKIP), Andrew Gilling (Con), Tony Gore (Lib Dem)

North Petherton: Lucy Miranda Allen (Con), Jen Bayford (Green), Alan Sydney Earnest Bradford (Con), Marion Denham (Lab), Anne Elisabeth Fraser (Con), Bill Revans (Lib Dem).

Quantocks: Lindy Booth (Green), Michael Caswell (Con), Philip King (Labour), Julie Pay (Con).

King’s Isle: Derek Alder (Con), Liz Perry (Con), Mike Senior (Lib Dem), Josephine Smolden (Green).

Puriton & Woolavington: Valerie Bannister (Green), Alison Hamlin (Con), Richard Hampson (Lab), Mark Healey (Con), Pete Hollings (UKIP).