DORSET goes to the polls today - but elections for Lyme Regis Town Council will not be held after just 13 candidates applied for the 14 council seats.

Lyme is among the areas in the county that have failed to attract enough candidates for an election to take place. In Beaminster only eight candidates put themselves forward for the 11 seats on the town council so there won't be a town council election there either.

The Dorset Council election for the Lyme and Charmouth area will still go ahead, with four councillors standing for one seat.

It is among more than 80 Dorset Council seats which are being fought over.

READ MORE: All the candidates standing for Dorset Council

Cllr Belinda Bawden is the incumbent for the Green Party and is standing for re-election. She will be up against Michaela Ellis ( Local Conservative), David Hart (Labour) and Paddy Mooney (Lib Dem).

Regarding the town council, all 13 candidates who were nominated for a place have been automatically elected.

They include returning councillors Caroline Aldridge, Belinda Bawden, Stuart Cockerell, Michaela Ellis, Philip Evans, Philip May, Cheryl Reynolds, David Ruffle, Gillian Stammers and Graham Turner.

They are joined by three new councillors: Gail Caddy, Claire Pritchard and John Trevana.

Current councillors Richard Dooney, Brian Larcombe, Rob Smith and Mayor David Sarson all did not run for re-election.

Town clerk John Wright said: “As there are 14 seats on Lyme Regis Town Council and only 13 people nominated, the council will fill the one vacant seat by co-option.

“The first meeting of the new administration on 15 May will agree the process for co-option and it is intended to issue an advert shortly after the meeting to invite applicants.”

This election will be the first time that most voters will have to present some form of official identification proving who they are to be allowed to vote – including a passport, driving licence or a bus pass.

* In Bridport each of the town council wards will be going to the polls - the central ward attracting nine candidates for five places.

Many of the existing town councillors are standing again although boundary changes which came into being this month will be in place for the first time in an election.

The full list of town council candidates are –

Bothenhampton & Walditch (3 seats) – Bridget Bolwell Lib Dem; Isabe;l Bourne Green; Elisabeth Brigden Labour; Andrew Holdridge Lib Dem; Anne Rickard Lib Dem.

Bradpole (5) – Nigel Amor Lib Dem; Ian Bark Lib Dem; Robert Casey Green; Neil Chilcott no designation; Anna Killick Labour; Paddy Mooney Lib Dem.

Central (5) – Steve Chapman Labour; Kelvin Clayton Green; Alani Cook Independent Young Person; Josef Davies-Coates Independent United Diversity Bridport; David Hart Labour; Nigel Rawlings Lib Dem; Dave Rickard Lib Dem; Sarah Williams Lib Dem; David Worthington Lib Dem.

West and Allington (5) – Jonathan Bourbon Lib Dem; Sarah Carney Independent; Michael Dommett Lib Dem; Neil Hammond Labour; Julian Jones Green; Richard Nicholls Labour; Bev Thornton Lib Dem; Steve Williams Lib Dem.

West Bay (2) – Dave Bolwell Lib Dem; Richard Edwards Green; Ann Langridge Lib Dem.