CHRIS Ruane held the VALE OF CLWYD seat for Labour last night in the first declaration in North Wales. Mr Ruane was re-elected with 14,875 votes - a majority of 4,669 over his nearest challenger Conservative candidate Felicity Elphick. Labour's majority, however, fell by 1,092 votes. Liberal Democrat candidate Elizabeth Jewkes received 3,820 votes. The other results were: Mark David Jones (Plaid Cymru) 2,309, Mark Young (Independent) 442, Edna Khambatta (UKIP) 375, Jeffrey Ditchfield (Legalise Cannabis Alliance) 286. Traditionally, the turnout in Rhyl's West Ward is among the lowest in Wales, with much higher figures recorded in the rural hinterland around Bodfari, Trefnant and Tremeirchion. Ultimately the turnout was 62% exactly. There was an exceptionally high turnout in one Denbigh pollingstation, as pupils of St Brigid's School held their first mock election. The school was among 56 in Wales taking part in the Y Vote mock election run by the Hansard Society, and supported by the Electoral Commission and Department for Education and Skills. Rhydian Thomas, outreach officer for the Electoral Commission for Wales, said 1,223 young people were eligible to vote for the first time in Denbighshire yesterday and it was hoped that the mock election would encourage people to use their votes in future. YNYS M'N , one of Wales' tightest marginals, which has changed hands at regular intervals since the late 1970s, was again in the spotlight. Anglesey's returning officer said the vote was steady in the south of the island and "very heavy" in the North and the eventual turn-out was high at 67.53%. "We had a record number of applications for postal votes - 4,076. And of those 3,216 have been returned". | 
