VOTING stations will open on Thursday for the elections for district and parish councillors in Mid Devon.

On the same day, people will also be invited to take part in the UK referendum on whether the current first past the post system or a new alternative vote system should be used in future elections.

Due to an error by the print firm used by Mid Devon Council ahead of the elections, 609 people in Westexe ward who had requested a postal vote for the May 5 district election were sent incorrect ballot papers.

The ballot paper asked voters to vote for “no more than one candidate”, but should have said “no more than three candidates” after the printer used an earlier proof instead of the final agreed version.

The council said the print company had accepted full responsibility for the error and was reprinting the papers at no extra cost, as well as covering the costs of additional postage.

Letters have now been sent to each affected voter explaining and apologising for what happened.

Returning officer Kevin Finan said: “We apologise to anyone who was inadvertently sent an incorrect ballot paper.

“We have made arrangements to make sure you get the correct ballot papers in plenty of time to cast your votes and return your ballot paper to us.

“Fortunately, this only affected a small proportion of the total number of 9,200 postal ballot papers we have issued for voters across Mid Devon for parish and district elections and the AV referendum.”

For more information call the council's Customer First team on 01884-255255.

Here is the full list of candidates for the Mid Devon District Council elections.

Boniface (two councillors to be elected): Reg Barker (Lab); John Downes (LibDem); Bob Edwards (UKIP); Anne Hughes (Con); Frank Letch (Ind); Nick Way (LibDem); Glyn Williams (Con).

Bradninch (one): John Berry (Con); Lloyd Knight (UKIP); Luke Taylor (LibDem).

Cadbury (one): Elizabeth Curzon-Howe (UKIP); Bob Deed (Con); Janet Wills (Lab).

Castle (two): Duncan Binks (Ind); David Graham (Lab); John Harris (LibDem); Brenda Hull (Con); Anne Kilshaw (Lab); Janet Rendle (Con); Elaine Joyce Trump (LibDem).

Clare and Shuttern (two): Nigel Burrough (Con); Terry Knagg (Ind); Roy Stanley (Con); Francis Stoner (Ind).

Cranmore (three): Polly Colthorpe (Con); Sue Griggs (Con); Tony Hendy (Con); Mark Thompson (LibDem); Paul Williams (LibDem); Kevin Wilson (LibDem).

Cullumpton North (two): Gillian Evans (Con); Linda Holloway (Ind); Pat Jones (Con); Nikki Woollatt (Ind).

Cullumpton Outer (one): Queenie Broom; David Pugsley (Ind).

Cullumpton South (two): Eileen Andrews; James Macpherson; Terry Snow; Carol Verney (LibDem).

Lawrence (two): Gregory Adams (Con); Martin Binks (LibDem); Jim Clawson (Lab); Georgina Ford (Con); Deirdre Moffatt (Lab); Bob Wright (LibDem).

Lower Culm (three): Diane Brandon (Ind); Richard Chesterton (Con); Bob Evans (Con); Richard Foord (LibDem); Mac McIntyre (Ind); John Poynton (LibDem).

Lowman (three): Neal Davey (Con); Paul Graham (Ind); Dennis Knowles (Ind); Heather Newman (LibDem); Paul Newman (LibDem); Colin Slade (Con); David Whiteway (LibDem).

Sandford and Creedy (two): Paul Edwards (Green); Michael Roy (Con); Margaret Squires (Con).

Silverton (one): Rosemary Berry (Con); Becky Debarring (LibDem); Jenny Roach (Liberal Party).

Taw (one): John Daw (Con); Gillian Elston (LibDem); Pamela Galloway (Lab).

Taw Vale (one): Mike Bartlett (Lab); Clive Eginton (Con).

Upper Culm (two): Glanmor Hughes (Con); Jocelyn Pritchard (Lab); Frank Rosamond (Ind).

Upper Yeo (one): Martin Elston (LibDem); Susan Sharratt (Lab); John Squire (Con).

Way (one): Sarah Norman (Con); Jane Tizzard (Lab).

Westexe (three): Mary Chesney (Lab); Alan Griffiths (Con); Gerald Luxton (Ind); Tony McIntyre (UKIP); Janet Smith (LibDem); Mary Turner; Josephine Young (Lab).

Yeo (two): Justin Beament (Lab); Nannette Brown (Lab); Derek Coren (Con); Chris Downes (LibDem); Peter Heal (Con); Jim Vine (LibDem).