Combined Authority and Combined County Authority Returning Officer guidance for Combined Authority Mayoral elections

There are no restrictions on who can deliver nomination papers or home address forms. You should advise candidates that they, their agent, or someone they trust delivers them, so they can be sure they are delivered to you in time.

Except for the purpose of delivering nomination papers, only certain people are entitled to attend the delivery of nomination papers and to inspect and make any objections to the validity of a nomination form or a home address form.

After a candidate has delivered their nomination papers and deposit and they stand validly nominated, they are entitled to attend the delivery of other candidates’ nomination papers and make objections to the validity of a nomination form or a home address form.1 In addition to the candidate, the following persons will also be able to attend and make objections:

• their election agent
• their proposer or seconder, as stated on the nomination form2  

If a candidate is their own election agent, they can appoint one other person to attend the delivery of nomination papers and make objections to the validity of a nomination form or a home address form.3 If a candidate has submitted more than one nomination form, only the proposer and seconder from the nomination form they have selected will be entitled to attend.4 If none has been selected, it will be the proposer and seconder of the first submitted nomination form who will have that entitlement.5

Nomination papers cannot be inspected by anybody else at any time. 

To be satisfied that the person inspecting the home address form is entitled to do so, you may consider asking for evidence of their entitlement such as photographic ID or you could require them to complete a short declaration. Any steps you put in place should be communicated with candidates and agents, for example as part of briefings as well as at the point a request is made to inspect. 

You must not permit any other inspection of the home address form unless the purpose is authorised by law.6 For example, the police have the power to inspect certain documents under specific circumstances. In these cases, the requestor should inform you of the relevant legislative provision which authorises inspection, so that you can be satisfied that, in allowing access, you are complying with the access restrictions.

Electoral Commission representatives and one other person chosen by a validly nominated candidate can also be present at the delivery of nomination papers, but they are not allowed to inspect or make any objections.7

You must keep the nomination papers securely and allow inspection of the nomination papers by the persons permitted to inspect these until the deadline for making objections to the nomination papers.

Once the deadline for making objections has passed, you should store the nomination papers securely for one year after the election.