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Dame Andrea Jenkyns Qualifies for Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral Race

Reform UK’s nominee for the mayor of Greater Lincolnshire has been confirmed as eligible to participate in the upcoming election, according to an electoral officer’s ruling.

Concerns were raised regarding Dame Andrea Jenkyns’ eligibility based on her residence status within the county, which is a key requirement for candidates. However, the electoral registration officer for North Kesteven District Council determined that she indeed qualifies as she uses her Lincolnshire residence as her primary home.

The election is scheduled for May 1, and Dame Andrea, who previously held a ministerial position in the last Conservative administration, expressed her sentiments following the hearing on this matter. She described the challenge to her candidacy as a “political hit job,” intended to undermine her position. “I am proud to live in Lincolnshire, and it would be the honor of my life to be mayor of the place I grew up in and live in,” she commented.

According to the Electoral Commission’s guidelines, candidates must either live or work in the area, own or rent property, or be registered on the electoral roll to qualify.

Recently, Dame Andrea was added to the electoral roll at her address in Bassingham, near Lincoln. Although she divides her time between this home and a residence in Yorkshire, where her son attends school, critics had challenged her claim of primary residency in Lincolnshire.

The electoral registration officer addressed these challenges, stating, “I do not make any determination that the subject was not entitled to be registered in respect of the address or has ceased to be resident at the address. Accordingly, she is entitled to remain on the electoral register at that address.”

A recent YouGov poll indicates that Dame Andrea is currently leading in the race to become the inaugural mayor of Greater Lincolnshire.

Dame Andrea Jenkyns has roots in Lincolnshire, having moved there at the age of seven and later attended Grimsby College and the University of Lincoln. Prior to her current candidacy, she served on the Lincolnshire County Council and was elected as the Conservative MP for Morley and Outwood in 2015.

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