The last UK general election was held on 6 May 2010. UK Parliamentary by-elections occur when a seat becomes vacant between general elections. For further information on the timing of UK general elections and UK Parliamentary by-elections, please read this House of Commons research paper (PDF).
On this page you will find:
- the timetable for the election held on 6 May 2010
- guidance and support products for (Acting) Returning Officers and their staff
- guidance for candidates and agents, including nomination forms
- details about the Elections and Registration Working Group
Please note: guidance on this page is only applicable to Great Britain. It does not cover elections in Northern Ireland.
Welsh language resources and guidance |
Post-election materials
Timetable
Planning a UK general election
Performance standards template plans
(Acting) Returning Officers at the 6 May elections have been asked to report against our performance standards by 28 May 2010.
Planning guidance
- Essentials of effective election management: Planning for a UK general election in Great Britain (PDF)
- Contract development checklist (PDF)
Voter materials design guidance
We have a dedicated page on our DoPolitics site entitled 'Making your mark', which provides guidance on the format, accessibility and usability of voter materials, as well as downloadable examples of forms and notices.
Guidance manual for (Acting) Returning Officers at a UK general election
We have published a manual for (Acting) Returning Officers on managing a UK Parliamentary general election. The table below can be used to download the individual parts.
Support products for a UK general election
Template briefings for candidates and agents and nominations checklist
- Template briefing for candidates and agents (PPT) - please make sure you base your briefing on this version and not any previous one you may have downloaded, as this updated template takes account of recent legislative changes.
- Nominations checklist (PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions
Polling station handbook and other polling station support products
- Polling station handbook (PDF)
- Polling station quick guide (PDF)
- Template briefing session for polling station staff (PPT)
- Ballot paper account exercise (DOC)
- Sample ballot paper account (DOC)
- Multi-choice quiz with answers (DOC)
- Role play / scenarios (DOC)
- Close of poll packing instructions (DOC)
- Instructions and checklist for polling station inspectors (DOC)
- Advice to the Presiding Officer regarding personation (DOC)
- Polling station log for electors arriving to vote but shown as absent voters on the register (DOC)
- Advice on designing voter materials and sample notices are provided in the 'Making your mark' section of our DoPolitics website.
Postal voting support products
Count support products
The following support products have been designed to support the preparation for and delivery of a count.
- Doubtful ballot paper booklet (PDF)
- Doubtful ballot paper placemat (PDF)
- Supporting (Acting) Returning Officers with managing a UK general election: a count model (DOC)
- Appendix A - Count preparation checklist (DOC)
- Appendix B - The count aims (DOC)
- Appendix C - A typical count structure (DOC)
- Appendix D - A typical count layout (DOC)
- Appendix E - Count activities flowchart (DOC)
- Appendix F - Ballot box registration sheet (DOC)
- Appendix G - Verification statement (DOC)
- Appendix G - Verification statement (EXCEL)
- Appendix H - Team counting sheet (DOC)
- Appendix H - Team counting sheet (EXCEL)
- Appendix I - Count sheet for counting assistants (DOC)
- Appendix J - Form for adjudication of doubtful papers (DOC)
- Appendix J - Form for adjudication of doubtful papers (EXCEL)
- Appendix K - Count Summary Statement (DOC)
- Appendix K - Count Summary Statement (EXCEL)
- Appendix L - Announcement of results template (DOC)
- Appendix L - Announcement of results template (EXCEL)
Support products for combined UK general and local government elections in England and Wales
Polling station handbook and other polling station support products
- Polling station handbook (PDF)
- Polling station quick guide (PDF)
- Template briefing session of polling station staff (PPT)
Postal voting support products
Frequently Asked Questions
Data collection and feedback forms
These files contain Form K - statement as to postal ballot papers for the UK Parliamentary general election, instructions on completing Form K and an additional data form with accompanying guidance.
Completed data collection forms should be returned to the LGC Elections Centre at Plymouth University:
By email to: elections@plymouth.ac.uk
By post to: Brian Cheal, Local Government Chronicle Elections Centre, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA
By fax to: 01752 232785
Guidance and forms for candidates and agents at a UK Parliamentary general election
| The deadline for nominating candidates has now passed. For further guidance on complying with election spending rules, visit our candidates and agents page |
- Factsheet on standing for election at the UK Parliamentary general election in Great Britain (PDF)
- Comprehensive guidance manual for candidates and agents (PDF)
- Erratum sheet for candidates in Scotland to insert into the comprehensive guidance manual (PDF)
- Nomination papers (PDF)
- Nomination papers (DOC)
- Nomination papers - for on-screen completion and printing (PDF). Please download and save this form to your desktop before completing it as, otherwise, you may not be able to make any changes to it.
- Additional candidate forms (DOC) - notification of postal, polling and counting agents; withdrawal of candidature
- UK general election timetable, 6 May 2010 (DOC)
- Register request form (DOC)
- Royal Mail has produced a guidance document covering the freepost candidate mailing. For any further enquiries regarding Royal Mail's freepost arrangements, you can contact Royal Mail's Election Support Team directly by e-mailing election.support@royalmail.com or calling 0845 607 6416.
The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland (EONI) website contains guidance and forms for candidates and agents in Northern Ireland contesting the UK general election on 6 May, including nomination papers. Click here to visit the EONI candidate guidance web page.
Elections and Registration Working Group
This group was set up to provide the Commission with advice and support in the development and delivery of its support programme, and helped to ensure that the products and guidance we provided best meet the needs of those conducting and standing in elections. The group included electoral administrators from local authorities representing the electoral regions in Great Britain, along with representatives from the Association of Electoral Administrators, the Scottish Assessors Association and the Ministry of Justice.
For minutes and agendas for meetings in the run-up to the 2010 UK general election, please contact your local Electoral Commission office.
To find out more about the Elections and referendums steering group, visit our Elections and referendums steering group page.
