STROUD has been officially notified of the up-coming general election on Thursday, May 7.

The parliamentary writ was hand-delivered to acting returning officer, David Hagg, by Alexandra Keeble, Royal Mail manager for Bristol Mail Centre and assistant drop-off manager for general elections.

Writs are legal documents which authorise the holding of a general election or by-election.

When Parliament is dissolved prior to a general election, writs are issued by the monarch declaring the holding of an election in each constituency.

The writ is issued, after the dissolution of Parliament, by the Clerk of the Crown to each constituency calling for a general election to take place.

Returning officers receive the writ and have the responsibility of managing the election process, declaring the result following the count on Friday, May 8 and returning the writ to the Clerk of the Crown.

David Hagg, Stroud District Council chief executive and acting returning officer for the Stroud Constituency, said: “I am pleased to have received the writ which marks the formal start of the election process.

“I hope as many people as possible take the opportunity to exercise their democratic right by voting on Thursday, May 7.’’