Independents hit by new nomination rules

I TOOK my local elections nomination papers to the returning officer in Clonakilty only to have my nomination declared invalid. The reason: ‘assenters not presented.’

It is now a prerequisite that an independent candidate must bring 15 people on the local register, together with photographic identification in each case, to the local returning officer and each in turn must prove his or her identification.

This rule does not apply to members of political parties standing on the party ticket.