Introduction to our candidates guidance

This guidance aims to provide practical advice for anyone who wants to stand as a candidate or be an agent at a Combined County Authority Mayoral (CCAM) election in England. Standing for election can be complicated, but we hope that our guidance will make it as straightforward as possible.

Candidates and their agents must follow certain rules set out in legislation. Our guidance sets out the stages that you need to go through when standing at a CCAM election. You do not have to follow this guidance, but if you do, you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law.

It includes relevant factual material as well as links to sources of further information . Each section includes a number of forms and resources, which can be directly accessed via links in the text.

You can find out more in How to use our guidance.

Election timetable

For scheduled polls we will publish a specific timetable which will be made available below.

If a by-election has been called, you will be able to obtain a copy of the specific timetable for that election from the Returning Officer.

Data protection

Please note that data protection legislation applies to the processing of all personal data.

Please contact the Information Commissioner's Office for further information about how the current data protection legislation affects you.

We are here to help, so please contact us if you have any questions. Please see Contacting us for contact details.

Terms and expressions we use

We use ‘must’ when we refer to a specific requirement. We use ‘should’ for items we consider to be minimum good practice, but which are not legal or regulatory requirements.

We use ‘you’ to cover both the candidate and the agent in this guidance. When we talk about donations, we use ‘you’ to refer to the person who is responsible at the time for dealing with donations.

Our guidance is separated out into sections, each of which deals with a different part of the process you will be involved with as a candidate or agent for CCAM elections in England.

When you click on a link in the navigation list to the right, it will reveal the links to the different areas of guidance for each section. When you reach the end of a page, you can use the link at the bottom right-hand side to move to the next page of guidance.

Each section provides links to relevant forms and information resources, you will find these embedded in the text. You can also access these in the ‘Resources’ link at the end of each section on the navigation tree.

If you wish to print off all of the guidance you can do so using the link at the top of the page.

Our guidance sets out the stages that candidates and their agents need to go through when standing at a CCAM election. The areas covered are:

The Combined County Authority Returning Officer

Each combined county authority must appoint one of its officers, or one of the officers of a constituent council, to be the Combined County Authority Returning Officer (CCARO) in relation to the election.

The CCARO is responsible for the nomination process and for calculating and declaring the result of the election. The CCARO will liaise with and coordinate the work of Local Returning Officers in their combined county authority area, and they also have the power to give directions to Local Returning Officers relating to the discharge of their functions at the election.

The CCARO  will offer briefings ahead of the election and we strongly encourage you or your agent to attend, even if you have been an agent or stood for election before.

The CCARO will also be the Local Returning Officer for the individual local authority area they represent.

You can contact us to find out who the CCARO is for each area. The CCARO will also be able to provide contact details for Local Returning Officers.

The Local Returning Officer

Local Returning Officers are responsible for the running of the combined county authority mayoral election at a local level. They are responsible for administering the conduct of the poll, the issue and opening of postal ballot papers and the counting of votes in their area.

In areas where there is both a county council and a district council, the election will be administered at district level and the Local Returning Officer will be RO for the district.

The Local Returning Officer is normally a senior officer of the local authority and is independent of the authority in respect of their electoral functions.

You will be able to contact the Local Returning Officer for your area by contacting your local elections office. Addresses and telephone numbers of all elections offices can be found on our website https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter.

The Electoral Registration Officer

The Electoral Registration Officer is responsible for maintaining the register of electors and absent voters’ lists for their local authority area. The Electoral Registration Officer is normally a senior officer in the local authority and may also be the Returning Officer. You can find the contact details for your Electoral Registration Officer at https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter.

The Electoral Commission

We are an independent statutory body established in November 2000 by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. We are currently headed by ten Commissioners, including a Chair. We report directly to the UK Parliament through a committee chaired by the Speaker of the House of Commons.

We are responsible for registering political parties and non-party campaigners, the monitoring and publication of significant donations to registered political parties and the regulation of party and non-party campaigner spending at certain elections. We also have a role in promoting voter awareness. We are required to report on the administration of certain electoral events, to keep electoral matters under review and, if requested, must review and report on any electoral matter. We also accredit observers to be present at election proceedings.

We do not run elections but have responsibility for providing advice and assistance on electoral matters to all those involved in elections, including Returning Officers, Electoral Registration Officers, political parties and candidates.

We are here to help, so please get in touch if you have any questions.
 

Os ydych yn ymgeisydd neu'n asiant yn Lloegr

Os yw eich cwestiwn yn ymwneud â gwariant neu roddion, cysylltwch â ni yn:

E-bost:  [email protected]
Ffôn:  0333 103 1928

Ar gyfer unrhyw ymholiadau eraill, cysylltwch â ni yn:

E-bost:  [email protected] 
Ffôn:  0333 103 1928

Os ydych yn ymgeisydd neu'n asiant yng Nghymru

Cysylltwch â ni ar gyfer pob ymholiad yn:

E-bost: [email protected]
Ffôn: 0333 103 1929 
 

Cyn dechrau ar y broses o sefyll etholiad, mae angen i ddarpar ymgeiswyr fod yn hyderus eu bod yn bodloni'r holl ofynion. Mae angen iddynt hefyd fod yn ymwybodol o'r rheolau sy'n berthnasol i ymgeiswyr mewn perthynas â gwariant a rhoddion.

Mae’r canllaw hwn yn nodi manylion am:

• Pryd fyddwch chi'n dod yn ymgeisydd yn swyddogol?
• Pwy sy'n gyfrifol am wariant a rhoddion ymgeiswyr?
• Cymwysterau a gwaharddiadau ar gyfer sefyll etholiad
• Penodi eich asiant etholiad ac asiantiaid eraill

The earliest you can officially become a candidate is on the last date for publishing the notice of election, which is 25 working days before the poll.

You will officially become a candidate on this day if, on or before this date, you have already declared yourself a candidate at the election (or another person has declared that you are a candidate).

If, after this date, you or others declare that you will be a candidate at the election, you will become a candidate on the date such a declaration is made, or on the date that you submit your nomination papers, whichever is earlier.

The day after the date you officially become a candidate, spending and donation rules will apply.  
Once you have officially become a candidate, you are entitled to a copy of the electoral register.1

You are also entitled to a copy of the lists of absent voters for the ward you are standing in. 
In addition, you can use publicly funded rooms and schools for public meetings.

You can start campaigning before you officially become a candidate. More information is set out in our guidance on campaigning.
 

This section sets out the qualifications and disqualifications for standing at a Combined County Authority Mayoral (CCAM) election.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are qualified to stand and are not subject to any disqualifications. Neither the Returning Officer nor the Electoral Commission can confirm this to you. If you are in doubt about your eligibility you should seek legal advice. 

If you are standing for election in a CCAM where the combined county authority mayor takes on the Police and Crime Commissioner function we have separate guidance on whether or not you can stand for election at a CCAM election.

This document does not cover local authority mayoral elections or elections for the Mayor of London.

To be able to stand as a candidate at a combined county authority mayoral election, you must be:1

• at least 18 years old on the day of your nomination
• be a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, a qualifying EU citizen or an EU citizen with retained rights
• meet at least one of the following four qualifications:
  • You are, and will continue to be, registered as a local government elector within the combined county authority area in which you wish to stand from the day of your nomination onwards. More information is set out in our guidance Being a registered local government elector 
  • You have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises within the combined county authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election More information is set out in our guidance Occupying as owner or tenant any land or other premises within the combined county authority area
  • Your main or only place of work during the 12 months prior to the day of your nomination and the day of election has been within the combined county authority area. More information is set out in our guidance Your main or only place of work is in the combined county authority area 
  • You have lived within the combined authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election. More information is set out in our guidance Living in the combined authority area

When completing your home address form and consent to nomination form you will be asked to indicate which qualifications you meet. You should indicate on the form all those qualifications that apply to you.

Meaning of an eligible commonwealth citizen

An eligible Commonwealth citizen is a Commonwealth citizen who either:

• does not need leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom, or
• has indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom
   

Meaning of qualifying EU citizens 

A qualifying EU citizen is a citizen of a country:

• that has a bilateral Voting and Candidacy Rights (VCR) treaty with the UK
•  is  resident in the UK 
• with any form of leave to remain, or does not require such leave.  

Currently the UK holds bilateral treaties with the following countries: 

Meaning of EU citizens with retained rights 

An EU citizen has retained rights if:

•  they are a citizen of a country  which does not have a bilateral Voting and Candidacy Rights (VCR) treaty with the UK
• and they have been legally resident in the UK since before the UK left the EU on 31/12/2020 (the Implementation Period Completion Date – IPCD)

The member states of the European Union which do not currently have a bilateral VCR treaty with the UK and are not Commonwealth countries are: 

To be able to use this qualification, your name must appear on one of the registers of local government electors within the combined county authority area you wish to stand in at the time of your nomination and throughout your term of office should you be elected.1

Unlike the other qualifications that must only be satisfied on the day of your nomination and on polling day, this is an ongoing qualification.

We therefore recommend that if you meet any of the other qualifications as well, you also indicate this on your home address form and consent to nomination, which are two of the required nomination papers.

To be able to use this qualification, you are not required to have lived at the same address for the whole of the 12 months before the day on which you are nominated, but you must have lived in the same combined county authority area during the whole of those 12 months.1

If in the last 12 months you have lived at more than one address in the combined county authority area, you should list on your consent to nomination, which is one of the required nomination papers, all of the addresses at which you have lived during that period. This qualification also requires you to live in the combined county authority area from the date of nomination to polling day.

To be able to use this qualification, you must have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises within the combined county authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and before polling day.1

You must occupy 'land or other premises' to meet this qualification. The inclusion of the words 'other premises' can be taken as something other than land (i.e. some form of structure). Because 'land' and 'other premises' are alternatives it is, in theory, possible for a person to meet this qualification by occupying land only. There are some structures that might, arguably, fall outside the term 'premises' (e.g. a tent, caravan, house boat or mobile home). However, a person occupying such a structure need only establish occupancy of the land on which, for example their tent, is located.

If the land or premises crosses a combined county authority boundary, you are still eligible to stand in the combined county authority. If two combined county authorities are adjacent to each other and the land or premises is included in both areas, the land/premises is in the area with respect to both combined county authorities.

You must also occupy the land or other premises as an 'owner' or 'tenant'. Ownership may be established by showing title to the land or premises in question. Tenancy is established by showing a lease or in certain circumstances another legal interest over the land. In a number of circumstances, a lease will survive even though it has expired and the parties have failed to sign a new lease, and the tenancy survives through tacit agreement between the parties. Therefore, there may be circumstances in which a person's tenancy of land or premises might need to be established by evidence other than a current lease.

You must also have 'occupied' the land or premises. Therefore, in addition to establishing legal ownership or legal tenancy, you must establish that you have actually occupied the land or premises. This is a question of fact in each case. The interpretation of the term 'occupy' in other legal contexts suggests that it is not necessary for a person to be personally resident on the land or premises (which may in any event be covered by the qualification of 'lived in the combined authority area').

However, it does require something to be actually done on the land or premises – an empty unlocked house cannot be described as 'occupied', for example. It also requires a sufficient degree of control to exclude or prevent others from interfering with the land or premises. If you have sub-let all of your land or premises to another person, this will point against you having 'occupied' it yourself.

Finally, you must have occupied the land or premises 'during the whole of the twelve months preceding' the day on which you are nominated and polling day. Whether an absence will prevent you from claiming that you have occupied the land or premises for the preceding year should be worked out by taking into account all other factors: for instance, whether you have allowed others to occupy the land or premises in your absence, and the reason for your absence.

To be able to use this qualification, your main or only place of work must have been within the combined county authority area during the 12 months prior to your nomination and prior to polling day itself. You do not have to be in paid employment to qualify, as long as you satisfy the requirement of your main or only place of work being within the combined county authority area.1

Councillors whose main or only job is being a councillor would be able to use this qualification, provided that their place of work is within the combined county authority area.

Apart from meeting the qualifications for standing for election, you must also not be disqualified.

The full range of disqualifications is complex and if you are in any doubt about whether you are disqualified, you must do everything you can to check that you are not disqualified before submitting your nomination papers.

You must be sure that you are not disqualified as you will be asked to sign one of the required nomination papers to confirm that you are not disqualified.

It is a criminal offence to make a false statement on your nomination papers as to your qualification for being elected, so if you are in any doubt you should contact your employer, consult the legislation or, if necessary, take your own independent legal advice.

The Combined County Authority Returning Officer will not be able to confirm whether or not you are disqualified.

You cannot stand for election if on the day of your nomination and on polling day: 

• You are employed by the combined county authority or a constituent council or hold a paid office under the combined county authority or a constituent council.1 Note that you may be ‘employed by or on behalf of the combined county authority or a constituent council’ if, for example, you work at certain schools, fire services or health services. This list is not exhaustive. More information is set out in our guidance Working for the combined county authority or constituent council. A constituent council means a county council that is within the combined county authority area, or a unitary district council that is within the combined county authority area.
• You hold a politically restricted post.2 More information is set out in our guidance Politically restricted posts.
• You are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order.3 More information is set out in our guidance Bankruptcy restrictions or interim order.
• You have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three months or more (including a suspended sentence), without the option of a fine, during the five years before polling day4 and the ordinary period allowed for making an appeal or applications in respect of the conviction has passed. A person who is in the process of making an appeal or application in relation to the conviction is not disqualified at any time before the end of the day on which the appeal or application is disposed of, abandoned or fails by reason of non-prosecution.5
• You have been disqualified under the Representation of the People Act 1983 (which covers corrupt or illegal electoral practices and offences relating to donations). The disqualification for an illegal practice begins from the date a person has been reported guilty by an election court or convicted and lasts for three years. The disqualification for a corrupt practice begins from the date a person has been reported guilty by an election court or convicted and lasts for five years,6 unless at any time within that period a court determines that the conviction should not be upheld, in which case the disqualification ends at that time.7
• You are subject to the notification requirement of or under Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, and the ordinary period allowed for making an appeal or application in respect of the order or notification has passed.8 A person who is in the process of making an appeal or application in relation to the disqualification is not disqualified at any time before the end of the day on which the appeal or application is disposed of, abandoned or fails by reason of non-prosecution.9
• You have been convicted of an intimidatory criminal offence motivated by hostility towards a candidate, future candidate or campaigner or holder of a relevant elective office. The effect of a disqualification order is that the person will be disqualified from standing for, being elected to, and holding any relevant elective office for five years.   

A person may be disqualified from being or becoming a member of certain authorities10 following a conviction under the Localism Act 2011.11

You are disqualified from standing as a candidate at a combined county authority mayoral election if you hold any paid office or employment, where appointments or elections to it are or may be made by or on behalf of the combined county authority or any of the constituent councils.1

A constituent council means a county council that is within the combined county authority area, or a unitary district council that is within the combined county authority area.2

This would be the case where your appointment:

• has been made by the combined county authority or any of the constituent councils
• may be made by the combined county authority or any of the constituent councils
• has been made on behalf of the combined county authority or any of the constituent councils (e.g. by a committee or sub-committee which has been given the power by the combined county authority or any of the constituent councils to make such an appointment)
• may be made on behalf of the combined county authority or any of the constituent councils (e.g. by a committee or sub-committee which has been given the power by the combined county authority or any of the constituent councils to make such an appointment)

However, this disqualification does not apply to the office of mayor or deputy mayor of the combined county authority or a constituent council.

If you are a teacher (or are a non-teaching member of staff) employed by a constituent council, or where the appointment could be made by or on behalf of a constituent council, you will be disqualified from standing for election as combined county authority mayor.

As a general rule, if you work in the local public sector, you should seek advice from your employer’s HR department to help you establish whether the disqualification would apply to you. Sometimes employment relationships can be complex and if this is the case for you, we recommend that you seek your own legal advice.

The disqualification of being employed by the combined county authority or constituent council applies on both the date of your nomination and on polling day. If you were employed by the combined county authority or constituent council, you must have resigned and served any notice period before the date of your nomination to avoid having a contract of employment with the combined county authority or constituent council at that time.

If you are an employee of a local authority anywhere in Great Britain you must check that you do not hold a politically restricted post. If you hold a politically restricted post, you are disqualified from standing for election to any combined county authority in England1 .

The posts that are politically restricted are:

• the Head of the Paid Service
• the statutory chief officers (the chief finance officer, chief education officer, chief officer at certain fire brigades or the director of social services)
• non-statutory chief officers (including a person who, as respects all or most of the duties of their post, is required to report directly or is directly responsible to the local authority or any committee or sub-committee of the authority or the head of the authority’s paid service)
• deputy chief officers (a person who, as respects all or most of the duties of their post, is required to report directly or is directly accountable to one or more of the chief officers)
• the monitoring officer
• officers exercising delegated powers
• assistants to political groups
• a sensitive post which meets one or both of the following duties-related criteria:
  o    giving advice on a regular basis to the authority (including committees, sub-committees and joint committees on which the authority is represented)
  o    speaking on behalf of the authority on a regular basis to journalists or broadcasters

You should check with the HR department of your employer if you are not sure whether you hold a politically restricted post.

Bankruptcy in itself is not a disqualification. If you have been adjudged bankrupt by a court in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you are not disqualified on that basis. However, you are disqualified if you are currently subject to any of the following:1

• an interim bankruptcy restrictions order
• a bankruptcy restrictions order
• an interim debt relief restrictions order
• a debt relief restrictions order made by a court in England or Wales. If the order was made in Northern Ireland, you should take your own legal advice since the law is complex in this area.

A person cannot sit as both a combined county authority mayor and a local councillor of a constituent council.1 If they are already an elected councillor and are subsequently elected as mayor, their office as councillor will become vacant.

A constituent council means a county council that is within the combined county authority area, or a unitary district council that is within the combined county authority area.

Equally, if someone stands as a candidate at the same time in both contests and is elected to both offices, their election as councillor will be disregarded and the office of councillor will be deemed to be vacant.2

This section of the document contains our guidance on whether or not you can stand for election at the combined county authority mayoral elections where the Combined County Authority Mayor takes on the functions of the Police [Fire] and Crime Commissioner.

We have produced this guidance because where the Combined County Authority Mayors take on the functions of a Police and Crime Commissioner they have different candidate disqualifications compared with the disqualifications that apply at other combined authority mayoral elections.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are qualified to stand and are not subject to any disqualifications. Neither the Returning Officer nor the Electoral Commission can confirm this to you. If you are in doubt about your eligibility you should seek legal advice. 
 

To be able to stand as a candidate at a Combined County Authority Mayoral election where the Combined County Authority Mayor take on the functions of the Police [Fire] and Crime Commissioner, you must be:1

• at least 18 years old on the day of your nomination
• be a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, a qualifying EU citizen or an EU citizen with retained rights
• meet at least one of the following four qualifications:
  • You are, and will continue to be, registered as a local government elector within the combined county authority area from the day of your nomination onwards. More information is set out in our guidance Being a registered local government elector 
  • You have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises within the combined county authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election. More information is set out in our guidance Occupying as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the combined county authority area
  • Your main or only place of work during the 12 months prior to the day of your nomination and the day of election has been within the combined county authority area. More information is set out in our guidance Your main or only place of work is in the combined county authority area 
  • You have lived within the combined county authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election. More information is set out in our guidance Living in the combined county authority area     

When completing your home address form and consent to nomination form you will be asked to indicate which qualifications you meet. You should indicate on the forms all those qualifications that apply to you.

Meaning of an eligible commonwealth citizen

An eligible Commonwealth citizen is a Commonwealth citizen who either:

• does not need leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom, or
• has indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom
   

Meaning of qualifying EU citizens 

A qualifying EU citizen isa citizen of a country:

• that has a bilateral Voting and Candidacy Rights (VCR) treaty with the UK
• is resident in the UK
• with any form of leave to remain, or does not require such leave.  

Currently the UK holds bilateral treaties with the following countries: 

Meaning of EU citizens with retained rights 

An EU citizen has retained rights if:

•  they are a citizen of a country which does not have a bilateral Voting and Candidacy Rights (VCR) treaty with the UK
• and they have been legally resident in the UK since before the UK left the EU on 31/12/2020 (the Implementation Period Completion Date – IPCD)

 
The member states of the European Union which do not currently have a bilateral VCR treaty with the UK and are not Commonwealth countries are: 

To be able to use this qualification, your name must appear on one of the registers of local government electors within the combined county authority area you wish to stand in at the time of your nomination and throughout your term of office should you be elected.1

Unlike the other qualifications that must only be satisfied on the day of your nomination and on polling day, this is an ongoing qualification.

We therefore recommend that if you meet any of the other qualifications as well, you also indicate this on your consent to nomination, which is one of the required nomination papers.
 

To be able to use this qualification, you are not required to have lived at the same address for the whole of the 12 months before the day on which you are nominated, but you must have lived in the same combined county authority area during the whole of those 12 months.1

If in the last 12 months you have lived at more than one address in the combined county authority area, you should list on your consent to nomination, which is one of the required nomination papers, all of the addresses at which you have lived during that period. This qualification also requires you to live in the combined county authority area from the date of nomination to polling day.

To be able to use this qualification, you must have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises within the combined county authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and before polling day.1

You must occupy 'land or other premises' to meet this qualification. The inclusion of the words 'other premises' can be taken as something other than land (i.e. some form of structure). Because 'land' and 'other premises' are alternatives it is, in theory, possible for a person to meet this qualification by occupying land only. There are some structures that might, arguably, fall outside the term 'premises' (e.g. a tent, caravan, house boat or mobile home). However, a person occupying such a structure need only establish occupancy of the land on which, for example their tent, is located.

If the land or premises crosses a combined county authority boundary, you are still eligible to stand in the combined county authority. If two combined county authorities are adjacent to each other and the land or premises is included in both areas, the land/premises is in the area with respect to both combined county authorities.

You must also occupy the land or other premises as an 'owner' or 'tenant'. Ownership may be established by showing title to the land or premises in question. Tenancy is established by showing a lease over the land. In a number of circumstances, a lease will survive even though it has expired and the parties have failed to sign a new lease, and the tenancy survives through tacit agreement between the parties. Therefore, there may be circumstances in which a person's tenancy of land or premises might need to be established by evidence other than a current lease.

You must also have 'occupied' the land or premises. Therefore, in addition to establishing legal ownership or legal tenancy, you must establish that you have actually occupied the land or premises. This is a question of fact in each case. The interpretation of the term 'occupy' in other legal contexts suggests that it is not necessary for a person to be personally resident on the land or premises (which may in any event be covered by the qualification of 'lived in the combined county authority area').

However, it does require something to be actually done on the land or premises – an empty unlocked house cannot be described as 'occupied', for example. It also requires a sufficient degree of control to exclude or prevent others from interfering with the land or premises. If you have sub-let all of your land or premises to another person, this will point against you having 'occupied' it yourself.

Finally, you must have occupied the land or premises 'during the whole of the twelve months preceding' the day on which you are nominated and polling day. Whether an absence will prevent you from claiming that you have occupied the land or premises for the preceding year should be worked out by taking into account all other factors: for instance, whether you have allowed others to occupy the land or premises in your absence, and the reason for your absence.

To be able to use this qualification, your main or only place of work must have been within the combined county authority area during the 12 months prior to your nomination and prior to polling day itself.1

You do not have to be in paid employment to qualify, as long as you satisfy the requirement of your main or only place of work being within the combined county authority area.

Councillors whose main or only job is being a councillor would be able to use this qualification, provided that their place of work is within the combined county authority area.

Apart from meeting the qualifications for standing for election, you must also not be disqualified.

The full range of disqualifications is complex and if you are in any doubt about whether you are disqualified, you must do everything you can to check that you are not disqualified before submitting your nomination papers.

You must be sure that you are not disqualified as you will be asked to sign one of the required nomination papers to confirm that you are not disqualified. 

It is a criminal offence to make a false statement on your nomination papers as to your qualification for being elected, so if you are in any doubt you should contact your employer, consult the legislation or, if necessary, take your own independent legal advice.

The Combined County Area Returning Officer will not be able to confirm whether or not you are disqualified.

There are certain people who are disqualified from being elected to a combined county authority in England. You cannot be a candidate if at the time of your nomination and on polling day:

• You work for the combined county authority, a constituent council, a district council or a parish council included in the combined county authority area you are standing in.1  
  You will be disqualified if you are employed by or on behalf of the combined county authority or a constituent council, hold a paid office under the combined county authority or a constituent council, are employed in an organisation that is under the control of a constituent council, or work for a parish council in the combined county authority area. 

  A constituent council means a county council that is within the combined county authority area or a unitary district council that is within the combined county authority area. 

  Note that you may be ‘employed by or on behalf of the combined county authority or a constituent council’ if, for example, you work at certain schools, fire services or health services. This list is not exhaustive and more information is set out in our guidance Working for the combined county authority, a constituent council or a parish council.

• You hold a politically restricted post.2 More information is set out in our guidance Politically restricted post.
• You are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order.3  More information is set out in our guidance Bankruptcy restrictions or interim order.
• You have ever been convicted of an imprisonable offence. This disqualification applies even if you were not actually imprisoned for that offence, or the conviction has been spent4 and the ordinary period allowed for making an appeal or applications in respect of the conviction has passed. A person who is in the process of making an appeal or application in relation to the conviction is not disqualified at any time before the end of the day on which the appeal or application is disposed of, abandoned or fails by reason of non-prosecution.5
• You have been disqualified under the Representation of the People Act 1983 (which covers corrupt or illegal electoral practices and offences relating to donations). The disqualification for an illegal practice begins from the date a person has been reported guilty by an election court or convicted and lasts for three years. The disqualification for a corrupt practice begins from the date a person has been reported guilty by an election court or convicted and lasts for five years6 unless at any time within that period a court determines that the conviction should not be upheld, in which case the disqualification ends at that time.7
• You are subject to the notification requirement of or under Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, and the ordinary period allowed for making an appeal or application in respect of the order or notification has passed.8 A person who is in the process of making an appeal or application in relation to the disqualification is not disqualified at any time before the end of the day on which the appeal or application is disposed of, abandoned or fails by reason of non-prosecution.9
• You have been nominated as a candidate at a Police and Crime Commissioner election taking place on the same day for a police area that is not part of the combined county authority area you are standing in.10
• You are a Police and Crime Commissioner for any police area that is not part of the combined county authority area you are standing in.11
• You are a police officer or are directly or indirectly employed by the police.12 More information is set out in our guidance Working for the Police
• You are the London Fire Commissioner or a member of staff of the London Fire Commissioner13
• You are disqualified under certain provisions of the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975, (as amended), if you are a civil servant, a member of the armed forces or hold any judicial office specified in Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 (as amended).14
• You are a member of the legislature of any country or territory outside the UK.
• You have been convicted of an intimidatory criminal offence motivated by hostility towards a candidate, future candidate or campaigner or holder of a relevant elective office. The effect of a disqualification order is that the person will be disqualified from standing for, being elected to, and holding any relevant elective office for five years.   

A person is also disqualified from being elected in an area where the Combined County Authority Mayor take on the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner role, if they are employed by the fire and rescue authority.15

A person may be disqualified from being or becoming a member of certain authorities following a conviction under the Localism Act 2011.16  

A constituent council means a county council that is within the combined county authority area, or a unitary district council that is within the combined county authority area.1

Where the Combined County Authority Mayor also takes on the Police [Fire] and Crime Commissioner function, the employment disqualification also applies to district and parish councils.2

As a general rule, if you work in the local public sector, you should seek advice from your employer’s HR department to help you establish whether the disqualification would apply to you. Sometimes employment relationships can be complex and if this is the case for you, we recommend that you seek your own legal advice.

The employment disqualification applies on both the date of your nomination and on polling day. If you are employed or hold a paid office that would disqualify you from standing, you must resign and have served any notice period before the date of your nomination to avoid having a contract of employment with the combined county authority or council at that time.

You are disqualified from standing as a candidate at a combined county authority mayoral election if you hold any paid office or employment, where appointments or elections to it are or may be made by or on behalf of the combined county authority or any of the constituent councils.

This would be the case where your appointment:

• has been made by the combined county authority or any of the constituent councils
• may be made by the combined county authority or any of the constituent councils
• has been made on behalf of the combined county authority or any of the constituent councils (e.g. by a committee or sub-committee which has been given the power by the combined county authority or any of the constituent councils to make such an appointment)
• may be made on behalf of the combined county authority or any of the constituent councils (e.g. by a committee or sub-committee which has been given the power by the combined county authority or any of the constituent councils to make such an appointment)

However, this disqualification does not apply to the office of mayor or deputy mayor of the combined county authority or a constituent council.

If you are a teacher (or are a non-teaching member of staff) employed by a constituent council, or where the appointment could be made by or on behalf of a constituent council, you will be disqualified from standing for election as Combined County Authority Mayor.

You will be disqualified from standing if you are indirectly employed by a constituent council within the combined county authority area in which you are standing.

This means that if you are a member of staff of or work for an organisation which is under the control of either of these types of councils, you will be disqualified. You may be employed by an organisation that is under the control of a local council, for example, if you work for certain fire services or health services.

You are also disqualified if you are employed by a parish council within a combined county authority with police [fire] and crime functions. 

However, you will be able to stand for election if you are employed in an organisation that is simply under the control of a parish or community council, without being directly employed by the parish council. 

If you are an employee of a local authority anywhere in Great Britain you must check that you do not hold a politically restricted post. If you hold a politically restricted post, you are disqualified from standing for election to any combined county authority in England.1  

The posts that are politically restricted are:

• the Head of the Paid Service
• the statutory chief officers (the chief finance officer, chief education officer, chief officer at certain fire brigades or the director of social services)
• non-statutory chief officers (including a person who, as respects all or most of the duties of their post, is required to report directly or is directly responsible to the local authority or any committee or sub-committee of the authority or the head of the authority’s paid service)
• deputy chief officers (a person who, as respects all or most of the duties of their post, is required to report directly or is directly accountable to one or more of the chief officers)
• the monitoring officer
• officers exercising delegated powers
• assistants to political groups
• a sensitive post which meets one or both of the following duties-related criteria:
  • giving advice on a regular basis to the authority (including committees, sub-committees and joint committees on which the authority is represented)
  • speaking on behalf of the authority on a regular basis to journalists or broadcasters

You should check with the HR department of your employer if you are not sure whether you hold a politically restricted post.

Bankruptcy in itself is not a disqualification. If you have been adjudged bankrupt by a court in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you are not disqualified on that basis. However, you are disqualified if you are currently subject to any of the following:1

• an interim bankruptcy restrictions order
• a bankruptcy restrictions order
• an interim debt relief restrictions order
• a debt relief restrictions order made by a court in England or Wales. If the order was made in Northern Ireland, you should take your own legal advice since the law is complex in this area.

You are disqualified from standing as a candidate if you are a police officer or are otherwise employed by the police.

This disqualification applies to:

• members of police forces (including special constables) in the UK, including the Metropolitan police and the City of London police
• members of the British Transport Police Force (including special constables)
• members of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary

You are also disqualified from standing if you are:

• a member of staff (excluding a deputy mayor for policing and crime) of a Police and Crime Commissioner
• a member of staff of the London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime
• the Mayor of London
• a member of the Common Council of the City of London or a member of staff of that Council in its capacity as a police authority

Where the combined county mayor takes on the police [fire] and crime functions; you are also disqualified from standing at the combined county authority mayoral election if you are a member of, or a member of staff of, or hold any employment in an organisation which is under the control of:

• the British Transport Police Authority
• the Civil Nuclear Police Authority
• the Independent Office for Police Conduct
• the National Crime Agency

You are also disqualified if you are employed in an organisation which is under the control of a local policing body, the chief officer of police for a police force in any police area or the City of London, or the chief officer of police of the British Transport Police Force or the Civil Nuclear Constabulary.

The disqualification of working for the police applies on both the date of your nomination and on polling day. If you were employed by the police, you must have resigned and served any notice period before the date of your nomination to avoid having a contract of employment with the police at that time.

Gweithio i awdurdod tân ac achub yn ardal yr heddlu1

Os ydych wedi eich cyflogi gan yr awdurdod tân ac achub, rydych wedi eich anghymhwyso rhag sefyll etholiad ar gyfer Comisiynwyr yr Heddlu a Throseddu yn Essex, Gogledd Swydd Efrog, Swydd Northampton a Swydd Stafford.

Hefyd, rydych wedi eich anghymwyso rhag cael eich ethol neu fod yn Gomisiynydd yr Heddlu, Tân a Throseddu yn Essex, Gogledd Swydd Efrog, Swydd Northampton a Swydd Stafford os ydych naill ai'n:

• Gomisiynydd Tân Llundain
• neu'n aelod o staff Comisiynydd Tân Llundain
   

Members of the House of Commons, the Scottish Parliament, the Senedd, the Northern Ireland Assembly or the European Parliament may stand for election at a combined county authority mayoral election where the Combined County Authority Mayor takes on the police [fire] and crime functions. However, if they are elected they must resign their parliamentary/assembly seat before taking up the post of Combined County Authority Mayor.

If you are successfully elected as the Combined County Authority Mayor where the Combined County Authority Mayor takes on the police [fire] and crime functions and you subsequently become a member of the House of Commons, the Scottish Parliament, the Senedd, the Northern Ireland Assembly or any legislature outside the UK, you are automatically disqualified from holding office as a Combined County Authority Mayor and the office of combined county authority mayor would become vacant.

Members of the House of Lords are not disqualified from standing or being a Combined County Authority Mayor.

A person cannot sit as both a Combined County Authority Mayor and a local councillor of a constituent council.1 If they are already an elected councillor and are subsequently elected as Mayor, their office as councillor will become vacant. Equally, if someone stands as a candidate at the same time in both contests and is elected to both offices, their election as councillor will be disregarded and the office of councillor will be deemed to be vacant.2

A constituent council means a county council that is within the combined county authority area, or an unitary district council that is within the combined county authority area.

The election agent is the person responsible for the proper management of your election campaign and, in particular, for its financial management. You must have an election agent. If you do not appoint an agent, you will become your own agent by default.1

Once appointed, payments for election expenses can only be made by or through the election agent.2 For more information see our guidance on candidate spending.

You can also appoint other agents to observe the following electoral processes, which both you and your election agent are also entitled to observe:3

• the opening of postal votes
• the poll
• the verification and count

Additionally, you, your election agent and one other person appointed by you will be entitled to attend the CCARO’s calculation of the result.   

The election agent is the person responsible for the financial management of the candidate’s election campaign. This includes responsibility for campaign spending, donations, and completing the return after the election.

We have summarised the financial responsibilities of an election agent in this document, so candidates can share it with anyone they have approached to be their agent. However, we recommend that you familiarise yourself with our guidance for candidates and agents. You can also find information in our guidance about an agent’s role on polling day.  

You should make sure you understand the obligations of the role and how it works in practice for a campaign, before you agree to become an agent. Once appointed, election agents can only be removed with the candidate’s agreement. As an agent, you will therefore be responsible for fulfilling your duties unless the candidate revokes your appointment.

Understanding the agent’s responsibilities

As a summary of your responsibilities, you must:

• make most payments for candidate election spending
• ensure invoices are received and paid by the deadlines
• keep receipts or invoices for any payments of £20 and above  
• record the necessary details of spending in order to complete the return
• check whether donations can be accepted by the candidate
• record the necessary details of donations in order to complete the return
• deliver the spending and donations return to the Combined County Authority Returning Officer (CCARO) by the deadline
• sign and deliver to the CCARO a declaration that the return is complete and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief

Spending

Candidate spending can only be incurred by the agent, the candidate, and anyone the agent or candidate authorises to incur spending. By ‘incur’ we mean making a legal commitment to spend the money.

In contrast, most payments for candidate spending must be made by or through the agent rather than the candidate. Please see Incurring and making payments for candidate spending for more detailed information.

The agent is also responsible for receiving invoices within 21 calendar days and paying invoices within 28 calendar days of the election result being declared. Invoices received or remaining unpaid outside of these deadlines cannot legally be paid without a court order. See Deadlines for more information.

Donations

Candidates can only accept donations towards their campaign spending from certain UK-based sources. The agent is responsible for checking whether a donation can be accepted and for reporting donations in the return. Please see Candidate donations for more information.

Reporting

The agent is responsible for reporting spending and donations to the CCARO after the election using a form called the candidate return. You must deliver the return to the CCARO within 35 calendar days of the election result being declared. Please see Completing your return for the requirements of the return.

Alongside the candidate, the agent must also sign a declaration that the return is complete and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief. Please note that failure to submit a spending return or declaration by the deadline without an authorised excuse, or making a false declaration, is a criminal offence.

Once you are appointed

Once you are appointed as an agent, you should ensure that a system is in place to keep a record of candidate spending and donations, and receipts or invoices for any payments of £20 and above. You must keep these records to complete the return after the election. You should also calculate the candidate’s spending limit.

How we can help

You can contact our regulatory advice service at [email protected] and on 0333 103 1928. We will also be running advice surgeries and webinars in the lead-up to the election and after polling day to answer any questions. This includes practical help on how to fill in a spending return. You can sign up to our Regulation Bulletin newsletter to receive details about these events.

There are no particular qualifications needed to be an election agent and you can be your own agent if you wish.

However, the following people are not allowed to be election agents:

• the CCARO or a local Returning Officer, or a member of their staff (including any clerks appointed specifically for the election)1
• a deputy or clerk of the CCARO or a local Returning Officer, or a member of their staff2
• an officer of a local authority whose services have been placed at the disposal of the CCARO or a local Returning Officer3
• a partner or clerk of any of the above4
• anyone not entitled to vote at the election as a result of the report 
  of an election court or a conviction for a corrupt or illegal 
  practice under the Representation of the People Act 19835

If you are standing as a party candidate, your party may also have specific rules about who you can appoint as an election agent.

Because of the responsibilities attached to the role of an election agent you should consider carefully who you appoint and make sure that they understand their obligations. You can be your own agent if you wish.

You, or someone on your behalf, must declare in writing the name, address and office address of your election agent to the CCARO by 4pm, 19 working days before the poll.1 The declaration should be signed by you (or the person making the declaration on your behalf) and by the agent to show their acceptance of the appointment.

It is helpful also to provide a contact telephone number and email address for your election agent so that the CCARO or a local Returning Officer can easily contact them.

The CCARO may provide a declaration form, or you could use the form included in the Commission’s set of nomination papers.

For candidates at combined county authority mayoral elections without police [fire] and crime functions:

For candidates at combined authority mayoral elections with police [fire] and crime functions:  

If you do not appoint someone as your agent by the deadline, you will automatically become your own agent.2

Your agent's office address must be within the combined county authority area in which you are standing for election as mayor.3 It must be a physical address4 –PO boxes or similar mailboxes cannot be used. The agent's office address will often be their home address, but it could be an office set up for the election.

If you automatically become your own election agent, because you have not appointed an agent, the office address is deemed to be the address you provided on the home address form.5 If that address is outside the combined county authority area, the office address is deemed to be the address of your proposer (i.e. the first subscriber on your nomination form).

This is the case even where you have chosen to withhold your home address form the statement of persons nominated and the ballot paper.

If an agent dies or becomes incapable of acting, you may appoint another agent in their place by submitting the relevant appointment form to the Returning Officer.6 Any new appointment in these circumstances must be made without delay.

You can revoke the appointment of your election agent at any time, including after polling day, and a new appointment can be made in the same manner as outlined in appointing an election agent.1 If you revoke your election agent’s appointment and do not appoint anyone else, you will be deemed to be your own election agent.

If you are acting as your own agent, you can revoke your own appointment and appoint someone else as your agent.

Once an agent has accepted their appointment, they cannot resign and must fulfil the duties required of them unless you revoke their appointment.

Your election agent may appoint sub-agents to act on their behalf.1 Election agents may appoint sub-agents for particular parts of the combined county authority area, as long as those parts do not overlap. The agent can determine the parts into which they wish to sub-divide the combined county authority area.

A sub-agent can do anything that the election agent is entitled to do within the area to which they are appointed.

However, they may only attend proceedings taking place in the area to which they have been appointed if they are acting in place of the election agent. While the election agent is present, they may not attend.

The election agent should ensure that any sub-agent is aware of the election and spending rules, as anything done by a sub-agent will be treated as if it had been done by the election agent. For further information see our guidance on election spending.

The election agent must notify the CCARO in writing of the name and address of any sub-agent and the area in which they may act by 5 working days before the day of the poll.2 The CCARO will provide a form you can use. Alternatively, you can use the form included in the Commission’s set of nomination papers. 

For candidates at combined county authority mayoral elections without police [fire] and crime functions:

For candidates at combined county authority mayoral elections with police [fire] and crime functions:

The election agent can revoke the appointment of a sub-agent at any time and appoint someone else in their place. If another sub-agent is appointed, the election agent must declare in writing the name, address, office address and area of appointment of the new sub-agent to the CCARO.

The office of the sub-agent must be in the area within which they are appointed to act.3

Once a sub-agent has accepted their appointment, they cannot resign and must fulfil the duties required of them unless the election agent revokes their appointment.

The following section provides guidance on candidate spending at combined county authority mayoral elections in England.

This guidance covers:

• how much you can spend in the lead up to the election
• which activities count as candidate spending
• what records you must keep
• how to account for different types of spending

The election agent has the main responsibility for complying with these laws, even if they appoint a sub-agent to help you with your expenses. However, candidates should be fully aware of the laws as both the candidate and agent must declare that the spending return is complete and accurate to the best of their knowledge and belief.1

See Who is responsible for candidate spending? for more information about the responsibilities of the agent and candidate.

We call the time when the spending laws apply the ‘regulated period’.

The regulated period

The regulated period for the 2025 combined county authority mayoral elections in England begins on the day after the date you officially become a candidate and ends on polling day, 1 May 2025.1

When does a person officially become a candidate?

The earliest date you can officially become a candidate is the last date for publication of the notice of election, which will be Tuesday 25 March 2025.2

You will become a candidate on this date if you or others have already announced your intention to stand.3  For example, your party may have issued a press release when you were selected, or you might have mentioned your intention at a residents’ meeting.

If your intention to stand has not been announced by 25 March 2025, you will officially become a candidate on the earlier of:

• the date your intention to stand is announced
• the date when you submit your nomination papers4

This must be prior to the close of nominations, which is 4pm on Wednesday 2 April 2025.5

The spending limit for the regulated period is: 

• £3,040 multiplied by the total number of constituent councils,
• plus 8p for every entry in the register of electors to be used at the election.1

The Combined County Authority Returning Officer (CCARO) will be able to give you the number of constituent councils and registered electors for you to calculate your spending limit. Please see the next page for more information.

To assist you in calculating your spending limit, the Combined County Authority Returning Officer (CCARO) will be able to provide you with

• the number of constituent councils in the combined county authority area
• the number of electors in the combined county authority area

You must request this information in writing and the CCARO must provide it as soon as practicable after they receive your request. Please contact your CCARO about when this information will be made available to you.

The CCARO may also have put in place arrangements to coordinate requests for copies of all the registers and lists of absent voters for the combined county authority area.

For further information on when you will be able to receive copies of the registers and lists and how to make any requests, see Campaigning.

In some instances, people spend money to promote a candidate without providing or transferring something for the candidate’s use or benefit during the campaign. Likewise, people may spend money to criticise a candidate or encourage voters not to support them.

Organisations or individuals, who are not standing as candidates at the elections, who campaign for or against a candidate in a ward or other electoral area are known as ‘local non-party campaigners’. This is also known as spending under section 75 of the Representation of the People Act 1983.

Local non-party campaigners can spend up to £50 + 0.5p per elector on campaigning for or against a candidate in the combined authority area. This is the permitted sum. It applies once the candidate is officially a candidate (see When do you officially become a candidate?).

The number of electors is the number of local government electors registered to vote on the last day for publication of the notice of election in the combined county authority area.1

A local non-party campaigner cannot spend more than this permitted sum without the agent’s written authorisation to incur the additional spending, which will count towards the candidate’s spending limit.2  

If a local non-party campaigner incurs spending over the permitted sum, then this additional spending must be reported by them to the Combined County Authority Returning Officer (CCARO) within 21 days of the result being declared.3  There is a separate return and declaration that must be completed for the local non-party campaigner to report authorised expenses.

The authorised expenses must also be included in the candidate’s spending return.4  Money that is incurred by campaigners in local campaigns that has been authorised by the agent is candidate spending and counts towards the spending limit.5

The authorised expenses may also be paid by the person authorised to incur them.6  If they do make the payments, and the spending is over £50, then this will be a donation to the candidate and must be reported in the spending return.7

See Making payments for candidate spending and Candidate donations for more information.

Non-party campaigners planning a local campaign should read our guidance for local non-party campaigners.

Local campaigning by parties

Parties must also be aware that any spending by the party on local campaigning for one of their candidates that is not authorised by the agent, will count as party spending.8  At elections covered by party regulated period, this spending must be included in the party's spending return.9

In contrast, any authorised expenses will only need to appear in the local campaigning forms and candidate spending return as above.

After the election, the candidate must provide a written statement of their personal expenses to their agent within 21 days of the result being declared.1

The agent must meet deadlines for:

• receiving and paying invoices
• sending a spending and donations return to the Combined County Authority Returning Officer (CCARO)

Both the agent and the candidate must also submit declarations that the return is complete and accurate.2

You must still submit a return and declarations even if you haven’t spent any money.3  This is called a ‘nil return’.

You can find these deadlines, and more information on reporting, in After the election.

The following section provides guidance on candidate donations at combined county authority mayoral elections in England.

This guidance covers:

• what counts as a donation
• who you can accept donations from
• the checks you need to make on different types of donors
• how to value different types of donations
• best practices for crowdfunding donations
• the information you need to record

Bydd yr adrannau canlynol yn eich arwain a'ch llywio ar sawl agwedd ynghylch eich ymgyrch. Mae hyn yn cynnwys:

• Pryd y gallwch ddechrau ymgyrchu a'r hyn y gellir ac na ellir ei wneud ar gyfer eich ymgyrch
• Defnyddio'r gofrestr etholiadol a'r rhestr pleidleiswyr absennol
• Eich rôl yn sicrhau uniondeb yr etholiad
• Troseddau etholiadol a rhoi gwybod am honiadau o dwyll etholiadol

Cewch ddechrau ymgyrchu unrhyw bryd. Nid oes rhaid i chi aros am enwebiad dilys er mwyn datgan eich bod am sefyll etholiad, gofyn i bobl eich cefnogi na chyhoeddi deunydd ymgyrchu. 

Mae terfynau gwariant etholiad yn gymwys o'r diwrnod ar ôl i berson ddod yn ymgeisydd yn swyddogol. 

Ceir rhagor o wybodaeth am wariant etholiad yn ein canllawiau ar wariant a rhoddion.
 

Mae'r adran hon yn nodi gweithgareddau y gall ymgeiswyr a'u cefnogwyr eu cynnal yn ystod eu hymgyrch, gweithgareddau y dylent eu cynnal, a'r pethau na ddylent eu gwneud.  

Ceir rhagor o wybodaeth am weithgareddau ymgyrchu derbyniol yn ein Cod ymddygiad i ymgyrchwyr
 

• Encourage people who are not on the electoral register to apply for registration. The deadline for registering to vote in time for an election is 12 working days before the poll.1 Individuals can register online at https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
   
• Remind voters who wish to vote in person that they will be required to produce an accepted form of photographic ID to prove their identity before they will be issued with a ballot paper. Where an individual does not have or does not wish to use an accepted form of photographic ID, they can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. For more information on the accepted forms of photographic ID and Voter Authority Certificates see our guidance for polling day.
   
• Help voters with information about postal and proxy voting and encourage voters to apply online at https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote or https://www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote. The deadline for applying for a postal vote for the election is 5pm, 11 working days before the poll.2 The deadline for applying for a proxy vote for the election is 5pm, 6 working days before the poll,3 although in some circumstances electors may apply for an emergency proxy up to 5pm on polling day.4 An elector can apply for an emergency proxy if, after 5pm, 6 working days before the poll, they have had a medical emergency, they have been called away on business, or the photographic ID that they intended to use in the polling station becomes unavailable and they do not have alternative form of accepted photographic ID.
   
• Find more information about who can register to vote and postal and proxy voting on our website https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter
   

• make sure any application forms you develop include all the required information, otherwise the applications will be rejected. In particular, you must make sure that the signature and date of birth fields on postal and proxy application forms are in the correct format and that there is a field for applicants to include their National Insurance number. You should use our absent voting application forms as a guide and you should liaise with the ERO who may be able to provide you with forms you can use. To help ensure that voters' applications are received and processed as quickly as possible, you can also let them know that they can apply for an absent vote online https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote or https://www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote. 
   
• inform voters to return their completed application forms to the ERO as soon as possible. Campaigners should not collect completed paper applications from voters and should not ask voters to send completed applications to campaigners’ addresses. 
    
• make sure your supporters follow the Code of conduct for campaigners in Great Britain – this will help them to avoid situations where their honesty or integrity could be questioned.
   
• make sure your supporters are courteous when dealing with other candidates and their supporters whilst campaigning as well as at electoral events such as the verification and count.
   
• be aware of the deadlines for appointing an election agent, and agents to attend postal vote opening sessions, polling stations and the count. Deadlines are set out in our guidance for postal voting, polling day and the verification and count.
   
• check our guidance on how postal vote openings, the voting process and the count will work so that you know what you can expect to happen.
   
• comply with any additional security arrangements   that ROs may put in place at electoral events, such as the verification and count, for example requiring attendees to show ID or bag checks before being allowed entry and follow any instructions regarding the standards of behaviour expected.
• check that your systems for recording spending and donations are working. For more information see our guidance on donations  and election spending.

• Knowingly make a false statement about the personal character of a candidate1
• Pay canvassers.2 Canvassing means trying to persuade an elector to vote for or against a particular candidate or party.
• Handle completed ballot papers or postal ballot packs for voters who are not close family or someone you care for.3

You will need to make sure your supporters are also aware of the restrictions on postal vote handing and  follow the Code of conduct for campaigners in Great Britain this will help them to avoid situations where their honesty or integrity could be questioned.

More information on election offences and how to report these can be found in our guidance on offences.

If either you or your election agent have made a mistake and have acted in contravention of the rules, you can apply for relief from the consequences of having made a mistake. See our guidance on what to do if you have made a mistake for more information.

Rhaid i chi wneud y canlynol:

• Defnyddio argraffnodau ar eich holl ddeunydd ymgyrchu argraffedig ac unrhyw ddeunydd ymgyrchu electronig a ddylunnir i'w argraffu'n lleol. 1  Dylech sicrhau bod yr argraffnod yn glir ac yn weladwy. Ceir rhagor o wybodaeth yn ein canllawiau ar ddefnyddio argraffnodau.
• Cydymffurfio â rheolau cynllunio sy'n ymwneud â byrddau hysbysebu a baneri mawr 2  – dylech ofyn i'r awdurdod lleol perthnasol am gyngor.
• Sicrhau bod posteri awyr agored yn cael eu tynnu'n ddi-oed ar ôl yr etholiad – rhaid i chi wneud hyn o fewn pythefnos i ddiwedd yr etholiad. 3

Dylech wneud y canlynol:

• Cynnwys argraffnod ar unrhyw ddeunydd ymgyrchu nas argreffir, gan gynnwys gwefannau.
• Ystyried sut i sicrhau bod eich ymgyrch yn hygyrch i bob pleidleisiwr – er enghraifft pleidleiswyr anabl neu bleidleiswyr nad Cymraeg na Saesneg yw eu hiaith gyntaf, neu efallai y bydd angen darparu deunydd ymgyrchu Cymraeg mewn fformat penodol. Gallech gysylltu â grwpiau anabledd yn eich ardal leol am gyngor.

Rhaid i chi beidio â gwneud y canlynol:

• Cynhyrchu deunydd sy'n edrych fel y cardiau pleidleisio a anfonir at bleidleiswyr. 4
• Talu pobl i arddangos eich hysbysebion (oni fyddant yn arddangos hysbysebion fel rhan o'u busnes arferol). 5
   

Beth yw argraffnod?

Mae'n ofynnol yn ôl y gyfraith i ychwanegu argraffnod at yr holl ddeunydd argraffedig er mwyn dangos pwy sy'n gyfrifol am ei lunio. 1

Dylech hefyd ychwanegu argraffnod i bob deunydd ymgyrchu arall am ei fod yn helpu i sicrhau bod yr ymgyrch yn dryloyw. 

Dylech sicrhau bod eich argraffnod yn glir ac yn weladwy.

Mae ein canllaw i argraffnodau ymgeisydd yn esbonio'r rheolau y mae'n rhaid i chi eu dilyn os ydych yn ymgyrchydd yn y math hwn o etholiad.
 

Once you officially become a candidate you are entitled to receive a free copy of the electoral register.1 You are also entitled to the lists of people voting by post or proxy (‘the lists of absent voters’) for the ward that you are contesting.

Registered political parties are entitled to receive a copy of the electoral register at any time.

There are two registers

Using information received from the public, registration officers keep two registers:

The electoral register 

The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote in public elections. The register is used for electoral purposes, such as making sure only eligible people can vote. It is also used for other limited purposes specified in law, such as detecting crime (e.g. fraud), calling people for jury service, checking credit applications.

The open register (also known as the edited register)

The open register is an extract of the electoral register, but is not used for elections. It can be bought by any person, company or organisation. For example, it is used by businesses and charities to confirm name and address details. Electors can request not to have their name and address included in the open register. 
 

Copies of the electoral register and lists of absent voters can be obtained from the Electoral Registration Officer. An Electoral Registration Officer will have been appointed for each local authority area that is part of the combined county authority to maintain the electoral registers. You can find their contact details on our website https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter.

The request must be made in writing1 and we have made a register request form and an absent voters’ lists request form available for this purpose.

While requests must be made to the Electoral Registration Officer, you should also liaise with the Combined County Authority Returning Officer (CCARO), who may have put arrangements in place to coordinate requests for all the registers and lists in the combined county authority area.

The register and lists will be supplied in electronic format unless you specifically request a paper copy.

The version of the electoral registers and lists supplied will be the ones current at the time of your request. You may also request the updates to the electoral registers and lists that are published in the lead-up to the poll, including the list of newly registered electors when it is published five working days before the poll.

Any person found breaching the restrictions on use of the electoral register could face an unlimited fine. For more information see our guidance on restriction on the use of the electoral register.

Requesting the electoral register outside of the election period

Political parties and elected representatives are also entitled to request a copy of the electoral register outside of the election period.

Guidance on what information can be requested, when and how it can be requested, and the permitted uses of that information can be found in our factsheet:

More information can be found in our guidance on access and supply of the electoral register.

The electoral register and lists of absent voters contain people’s personal data and so their use is very carefully controlled.

You can use them to: 

• complete your nomination form
• help you campaign
• check that donations are permissible

You must not release to any person any details that appear only in the electoral register and not on the open register which is available for general sale. You must not use the electoral register and lists of absent voters for any other purpose not listed above.1

If you have supplied a copy of the electoral register or lists of absent voters to campaign workers, they must also comply with the requirements above.

You must ensure that you keep both the electoral register and the lists of absent voters secure.2 Once you no longer need the register and lists of absent voters for any electoral purpose, you should securely destroy any copies supplied to you as a candidate in accordance with the Information Commissioner’s guidelines.

You may want to engage with the public at public meetings, promoting your views and responding to questions from the audience.

The ERO keeps a list of the location and availability of meeting rooms in their area. They will make this list available for inspection by candidates and election agents (and persons authorised by them) from the day the notice of election is published. Contact details for EROs can be found on our website.

Once you are a candidate you will be able to use available public rooms up until the day before polling day.1

You should contact the owner of the premises to make a booking, giving reasonable notice to reduce the risk of the request being refused.

There is no hire charge for using these rooms, but you must pay for any expenses incurred, such as heating, lighting and cleaning, and for any damage to the premises.

Your right to use the room does not include hours during which a school is used for educational purposes or when any prior letting of a room has been agreed.

An election address is a campaign statement that a mayoral candidate makes to persuade voters to vote for them.1 Once validly nominated, a candidate is entitled to include an election address in a booklet produced by the CCARO, which is sent to all registered electors in the combined county authority area.2

While the CCARO will pay the postage cost,3 if you want your election address to be included in the booklet, you will have to pay a share of the production costs. Each candidate included in the booklet will be asked to contribute the same amount.4 You should contact the CCARO to find out about the costs. If the contributions received exceed the costs incurred, the balance will be split equally among the candidates involved.

The booklet will contain the election addresses of all candidates who want to be included in it and who have contributed to the production cost of the booklet. 

The order of the election addresses in the booklet will be decided by the CCARO by drawing lots.5

If you want your election address to be included in the booklet, you must deliver the address to the CCARO by the close of nominations, i.e. by no later than 4pm, 19 working days before the poll.6

The address must comply with the CCARO's requirements and those set out in the next section. If it does not, it will not be included in the booklet.7  

If you withdraw before the deadline for withdrawals, the production costs will be returned to you.8

The production costs of the booklet must be accounted for in your election spending returns. For more information see our guidance on spending.

An election address can only contain matters relating to the election.1

It must contain:2  

• a statement confirming that it has been prepared by your election agent
• the name and address of the election agent
• your name and address or if you have requested not to make your home address public, the relevant electoral area as given on your home address form   

It must not:

• Contain any advertising material (other than material promoting the candidate as a candidate at the election)3
• Contain any other material appearing to be included with a view to commercial gain4
• Include any material referring to any other candidate5
• Be more than two sides of A5 paper. Where an address takes up two sides of A5 paper, you must supply a second version printed on one side of A5 paper. The CCARO will use this single-side version if more than 15 candidates supply an election address6

It may contain: 

• a photograph – provided you have submitted two identical photographs to the CCARO, one of which you must have signed on the back7
• a party emblem and description – provided you have a certificate of authorisation issued by or on behalf of the Nominating Officer of the party8

In all cases, your election address must comply with the CCARO’s requirements – including layout, margins and use of colour – so that it can be reproduced in the booklet9

The CCARO will give your election agent the opportunity to check and correct (if necessary) the content of your election address.10 However, if the agent does not use this opportunity, the CCARO may make any corrections they think appropriate, and may proceed with the printing and distribution of the election booklet without referring to you or your agent.11

Candidates are one of the key public faces of the election, and your conduct will be scrutinised in detail by opponents, the media and voters.

Voters should be able to trust that candidates will comply with the law and maintain the security and integrity of the election process.

Election agents are responsible for your campaign and are legally responsible for its financial management.

You should make sure that your supporters fully understand the law and know what they need to do to ensure that:

• voters can participate freely in this election; and
• other candidates and their supporters can participate safely in this election and be free from intimidation
• If there is an immediate and direct threat to personal safety and/or the incident is currently ongoing and urgent, the candidate you and/or their your staff or family should call 999 as a priority.
• If the incident does not require an urgent response but is not currently ongoing or an immediate threat, it is important to use the 101 service or Contact us | Police.uk. This is the easiest and quickest way to record incidents and obtain the allocation of appropriate resources and gain a reference number. 

More information about security guidance for candidates and agents is available at Candidate Security Guidance Collection - GOV.UK.

The police can only investigate allegations of electoral fraud where there is evidence to show that an offence has taken place. Claims or allegations should always be substantiated when referred them to the police.

You should also consider the impact on public trust and confidence of making false or unsubstantiated allegations about the conduct of other campaigners.

Neither the CCARO nor the Commission regulate these offences. For details of how to report any allegations see our guidance on reporting allegations of electoral fraud.

The following table shows a number of electoral and non-electoral offences of which you should be aware. You should seek your own legal advice where necessary.

Neither the CCARO nor the Commission regulate the content of campaign material and are not able to comment on the legality of any particular electoral material beyond what is covered in this guidance.

You should be aware of a number of electoral and non-electoral offences, and should seek your own legal advice where necessary. 

Efallai y gallwch wneud cais am ryddhad rhag cosbau trosedd a gyflawnwyd yn anfwriadol, yn ddiniwed neu heb eich gwybodaeth.

Dylech bob amser geisio cyngor cyfreithiol annibynnol wrth ystyried gwneud cais am ryddhad.

I gael rhagor o wybodaeth, dylech gysylltu â'r cyfeiriad canlynol:

The Election Petitions Office
Room E105
Royal Courts of Justice
Strand
London WC2A 2LL

E-bost: [email protected]
Ffôn: 0207 947 6877
 

If you are concerned that electoral fraud may have been committed, you should first speak to the Electoral Registration Officer, the relevant local Returning Officer or the CCARO.

They may be able to explain whether or not electoral fraud has been committed, and can refer your concerns to the police if necessary. They can also provide you with the details of the police contact for the relevant police force so that you can report the allegation yourself.

If you have evidence that an electoral offence has been committed you should contact the police immediately, using the 101 non-emergency number unless there is a crime in progress in which case you should use the standard 999 emergency line.

Every police force has a dedicated Single Point of Contact Officer who will be able to provide advice to ensure that your allegations are properly investigated. You should be prepared to give them a statement and substantiate your allegation.

If you do not want to give a statement to the police, you can report your concerns anonymously on the Crimestoppers website or by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

You can find contact details of Electoral Registration Officers and local Returning Officers on https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter.

Please note that if your allegation relates to party, election or registered campaigner finance matters, such as spending or donations, then you should follow the advice given at the following link: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/our-enforcement-work/make-allegation.

The following sections provide guidance on standing as a candidate at a Combined County Authority Mayoral election in England.

The guidance covers:

• The nomination process, including what forms you need to complete
• When and how you need to submit your nomination papers
• What happens after you submit your nomination papers

There are specific rules that candidates need to follow, depending on whether they are standing for a political party or standing as an independent candidate. These differences will be clearly highlighted throughout the guidance.

Guidance on standing for other elections can be found on our website.  

To become nominated as a candidate at a combined authority mayoral election, you need to submit a completed set of nomination papers to the place fixed by the Combined County Authority Returning Officer (CCARO) by 4pm, 19 working days before the poll.1

This deadline is set out in law and cannot be changed for any reason.

You can submit nomination papers between 10am to 4pm on any working day, starting from the day after the notice of election is published. The notice of election will set out the times and place for delivery2 .

There are three nomination papers that you must submit for your nomination to be valid:3  

• the nomination form
• a home address form
• your consent to nomination

The CCARO can hold your nomination paper invalid if the particulars of your nomination are not as required by law. The CCARO can also reject your nomination if they conclude that it is clearly a sham, for example, if an obviously fictitious name or address are provided.

If you, your agent or someone you trust are unable to complete the nomination form, the CCARO can help by preparing the form for your signature4 .

The CCARO may also be able to offer informal checks of your completed nomination papers before you submit them. You should find out from the CCARO whether they plan to offer informal checks.

Note that any information you provide on your nomination papers must be true to the best of your knowledge. It is an offence to provide a false statement on your nomination papers. Providing a false statement could invalidate your election, and is also punishable by an unlimited fine and/or imprisonment5 . 

You may make a request in writing to the CCARO for the total number of local government electors on the registers on the last day for publication of the notice of election. The CCARO must provide this information as soon as practicable, together with the total number of constituent councils in the combined county authority area. You will need this information for the purposes of calculating your spending limit.

Alongside your nomination papers, you must also lodge a deposit of £5,000 with the CCARO. See our guidance on Deposits for further details.

The notice of election must be published by not later than twenty-five working days before the poll.

You can obtain nomination papers from the CCARO. Alternatively, the Commission has produced nomination papers that you can use.

• candidates at combined county authority mayoral elections without the police [fire] and crime functions

• candidates at combined county authority mayor with police [fire] and crime functions

Your name and any description should be written on the nomination form before you ask subscribers to sign the form.

The nomination form must be completed in English.

The form must contain:

Your full name1

• This means your surname and other names in full.
• Using initials only could lead to your nomination form being rejected.
• Do not use prefixes such as Mr, Mrs, Dr or Cllr as part of your name.
• The same applies to suffixes. However, if you have a title, you can use this as your full name. For example, if your actual name is Joseph Smith but your hereditary title is Joseph Avon, you can use the name Joseph Avon as your full name.

Signatures of 100 electors registered in the combined county authority area2

• Also known as subscribers, with at least ten subscribers from each constituent council
• Your subscribers must appear on the relevant local government electoral register in force 25 working days before the poll. For more information see our guidance on subscribers

Description

You can also choose to use a description on your nomination paper. The type of description you can use depends on whether you are an independent or party candidate.

You do not have to use a description. If you choose not to use a description, you can leave the description field of the nomination form blank. 

Each nomination form needs to be signed (subscribed) by 100 electors with at least ten subscribers from each constituent council in the combined county authority area.1

If there are ten or fewer than ten constituent councils you will require 100 signatures. The CCARO can confirm the number of constituent councils in the combined county authority.

Your subscribers must be of voting age by polling day and appear on the local government register for a constituent council in force on the last day for the publication of the notice of election2 (i.e. 25 working days before the poll). You need to bear this in mind when identifying your subscribers and deciding when to submit your nomination.

The first two electors will sign and print their names as proposer and seconder, and the other electors are assenters to the nomination.

If a nomination form contains more than the required number of subscribers’ signatures, only the required number will be accepted.3 If one of the first of the required number of subscribers is invalid, regardless of whether the form contains more than the required number, the CCARO must hold the nomination invalid.4

There is nothing to prevent you from subscribing your own nomination providing that you are registered in a constituent council.

There may be some electors on the register who have registered anonymously because of risks to their safety.

Anonymously registered electors may not subscribe nomination forms.

Anonymous electors are shown on the register with just their poll number and the letter 'N' (rather than with their name and address).

Nomination forms should not be altered once they are subscribed. All of your details should be completed before you invite anyone to subscribe your nomination. Once the CCARO has formally accepted a nomination form, signatures cannot be withdrawn.

Where a county council is a constituent council, but only part of the county council area is contained within the combined county authority area, the subscribers must be registered in that part of the county council area that is contained within the combined county authority area. The CCARO can confirm the position for any county councils in the combined county authority area for which you are standing for election as mayor.

The elector number

The elector number of each subscriber, as it appears on the electoral register, must be entered on the nomination form.5 The elector number usually includes the distinctive numbers or letters of the polling district, which can usually be found at the front of the register.

The ERO for each local authority will be able to advise you how their register is laid out.

You will be entitled to a free copy of the electoral register for each constituent council that is within the combined county authority area in which you are standing.6

You should use the registers to ensure that your nomination form is properly subscribed.

In line with data protection legislation and the electoral provision under which you have obtained the register, you must ensure that you keep the electoral register secure and, once you have finished with it, ensure that it is securely destroyed.

Data protection considerations

When collecting subscriber information, you should point out what the information will be used for, how personal data will be processed and kept secure. The lawful basis to collect the information on this form is that it is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest and exercise of official authority as set out in Representation of the People Act 1983 and associated regulations.

You should also explain that the information will be shared with the CCARO. For further information on data protection and processing you should refer to the CCARO’s privacy notice on their website.

Data protection legislation will apply to the processing of all personal data. Please contact the Information Commissioner's Office for further information about how the current data protection legislation affects you.
 

You must complete your full name on the nomination form.1

If you:

• commonly use a surname or forename that is different from any other surname or forename you have
• use one or more forenames or surname in a different way from the way they are stated on your nomination form

you may state your commonly used name or names on your nomination form in addition to your full names that you have provided.2

For example, you may be known by your abbreviated name ‘Andy’, rather than your full first name ‘Andrew’. In that case, you can write ‘Andy’ into the commonly used forename box on the nomination paper if you would rather that name appear on the ballot paper.

You can request to use a commonly used forename, surname or both.

Any commonly used name(s) would then appear on:

• the statement of persons nominated
• the notice of poll, and
• the ballot papers

The CCARO will disallow commonly used names that are likely to mislead or confuse electors, or are obscene or offensive.3 If the name(s) are not permissible, the CCARO will write to you stating the reason for rejection. In those cases, your actual name will be used instead.

If either the commonly used forename or surname box on the nomination paper is left blank, then your actual forename or surname, depending on which commonly used name box has been left blank, will be used.

It is an offence to give a false statement on your nomination paper. Therefore if you choose to provide a commonly used name, you must ensure that it is a forename or surname which you commonly use.

You must also formally consent to your nomination in writing.

The content of the consent to nomination form is fixed by law and you must return the entire form  in order for your nomination to be valid.

On the form you will be asked to state that you are qualified and not disqualified from standing.

You must meet at least one of the qualifications to stand for election. On the consent to nomination form you should state as many of the qualifications as apply.

You must also state your date of birth.

You are not allowed to sign the consent form earlier than one calendar month before the deadline for submitting your nomination papers.1

Your signature must be witnessed; and the witness must attest the form.2

The witness’s full name and home address in full must be provided on the home address form.

There are no restrictions on who can be a witness to the consent to nomination.3

The consent to nomination is included in the Commission’s set of nomination papers.

The home address form must state:

• your full name
• your home address in full
• your qualifying address, or, where you have declared on your consent to nomination that you meet more than one qualification, your qualifying addresses
• which of the qualifications your qualifying address or addresses relate to
• the full name and the home address in full of the witness to your consent to nomination from.

Your home address:

• must be completed in full
• must not contain abbreviations
• must be your current home address
• must not be a business address (unless you run a business from your home)

The qualifying address:

Where you have selected one of the following options on the consent to nomination you must state:

• option (a) on the consent to nomination - the address in full where you are registered as a local government elector
• option (b) on the consent to nomination - a description and the address of that land or premises which you have occupied as owner or tenant
• option (c) on the consent to nomination - the address of your place of work
• option (d) on the consent to nomination - the address or addresses in full of where you have resided

Choosing not to publish your home address

You may choose for your home address not to be published on the statement of persons nominated or the ballot papers.

In this case the home address form must contain, as well as your full name and home address:

• a statement, signed by you, which states that you require your home address not to be made public
• the name of the relevant area in which your home address is situated (if your home address is in the UK)
• if you live outside the UK, the name of the country in which your home address is situated

If you act as your own election agent, unless you provide an office address, your home address as provided on the home address form will still be published on the notice of election agents.1  This is the case even where you have chosen to withhold your home address from the statement of persons nominated and ballot paper.

What is the relevant area?

The relevant area means:

For home addresses in England:

• if the address is within a district for which there is a district council, that district;
• if the address is within a county in which there are no districts with councils, that county;
• if the address is within a London borough, that London borough;
• if the address is within the City of London (including the Inner and Middle Temples), the City of London; and
• if the address is within the Isles of Scilly, the Isles of Scilly

For home addresses in Wales:

• if the address is within a county, that county;
• if the address is within a county borough, that county borough

For home addresses in Scotland:

• the local government area in which the address is situated

For home addresses in Northern Ireland:

• the local government district in which the address is situated
   

This section provides specific information for candidates standing on behalf of a political party on the additional information required to be submitted as part of their nomination papers.

To stand on behalf of a registered political party, the party must be registered on the Commission’s register of political parties and be listed as allowed to field candidates in England. You will also need to submit a certificate of authorisation to be able to stand on behalf of that party. If you also wish to use an emblem of the party, you will also need to submit an emblem request form as part of your nomination. 
 

Political parties authorise candidates to stand for them by issuing a certificate of authorisation. This must state that the named candidate can stand on their behalf and allow them to use one of the following:1

• the exact party name as registered with the Commission
• one of the party’s registered descriptions
• your choice of either the registered party name or one of the registered descriptions 

Particular care should be taken by the Nominating Officer (or someone authorised to act on their behalf) when completing the certificate of authorisation. If the certificate explicitly authorises a particular party name/description and this does not match the party name/description on the nomination paper, the whole nomination will be invalid.

The certificate of authorisation must be signed by the registered Nominating Officer of the political party or by someone authorised by the Nominating Officer to act on their behalf.

If you are standing on behalf of two or more parties, you will need a certificate of authorisation from the Nominating Officer of each of the registered parties (or people authorised to act on their behalf). Joint descriptions are listed on the Commission’s register of political parties on the registration page for the relevant parties.

Registered party names and descriptions can be found on the Commission’s online register of political parties http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk.

If you have been authorised by a political party to use the party name or a registered description on the ballot paper, you can also request that one of the party's official emblems is printed on the ballot paper next to your name.1

You must make the request for an emblem in writing and deliver it to the CCARO. The request must be received by the CCARO by 4pm, 19 working days before the election.

A party can register up to three emblems. You may want to check with your party (e.g. with the Nominating Officer or someone authorised to act on their behalf) which emblem to use. Make sure you request a current emblem.

Candidates standing on behalf of two or more registered parties and using a joint description can use an emblem that has been registered by one of the relevant parties. The request must be made in writing and delivered to the CCARO by the close of nominations, i.e. by 4pm on the 19 working days before the poll. The CCARO will supply you with a form you can use to make this request or, alternatively, you can use the emblem request form produced by the Commission.

The request should state both the name of the political party and the description of the emblem to be used, as listed on the Commission's online register of political parties. Registered emblems cannot be varied in any way.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your nomination papers, including the nomination form, the home address form and consent to nomination, and if you are standing on behalf of a party, the certificate of authorisation and emblem request form, are delivered to the place specified on the notice of election by 4pm on the 19 working days before the poll.1 If you are appointing an election agent, you will also need to submit their appointment form by this deadline.

We recommend that you, your agent, or someone you trust delivers them, so you can be sure they are delivered to the CCARO in time.

If you are your own election agent, you can appoint one other person to attend the delivery of nomination papers and make objections.

You should contact the CCARO as soon as possible to find out what arrangements are in place for submitting nomination papers. You will be able to contact the CCARO via your local elections office. Contact details can be obtained from our website https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter.  
 

The nomination form, the home address form and consent to nomination must be delivered by hand and cannot be submitted by post, e-mail or other electronic means.1
 
The certificate of authorisation and the emblem request form may be submitted by post, but may not be submitted by fax, email or other electronic means.2

The original version of each completed paper must be submitted.3

For example, a certificate of authorisation which has been sent as an attachment to an email to be printed out would make it a ‘copy document’ and not the original document.

You should submit your nomination papers as early as possible to give you sufficient time to submit new nomination papers should your first set contain any errors.

Usually, nomination papers can only be delivered during normal office hours. The CCARO will confirm the exact details of when and where they can be delivered on the notice of election.

The notice of election will be published no later than 25 working days before the poll and will state the earliest date on which you can submit nomination papers.1

In most cases, the notice of election will be published on the combined county authority website and/or the websites of the local authorities included in the combined county authority area.

After you have submitted your nomination papers you will be sent a notice by the CCARO to let you know whether or not your nomination is valid.2

If, after you have submitted your nomination papers you change your mind and no longer want to stand for election, you can withdraw, provided you do so by 4pm 19 working days before the poll.3  
 

For your nomination to be valid, the sum of £5,000 must be deposited with the CCARO by the deadline for nominations, by 4pm, 19 working days before the poll.

The deposit can be made using:

• cash (British pounds only)
• a UK banker’s draft 

The CCARO may also accept a deposit made by a building society cheque, a debit or credit card or an electronic transfer. However, they may refuse to do so. If you are considering paying the deposit in one of these ways, you should discuss with the CCARO at the earliest opportunity whether the payment method is acceptable.

If the CCARO allows the deposit to be paid by credit or debit card, there may be a fee charged by the bank or credit card company for the transaction, in which case you will be required to pay any additional fees as well as the £5,000 deposit.

Unless the person making the deposit is your agent and you have notified the CCARO of their appointment, the person making the deposit must at the time they make it give their name and address to the CCARO.

The deposit will be returned if you poll more than 5% of the total number of valid votes cast in the combined county authority area. Those candidates who have polled less than, or equal to, 5% of the total number of valid votes cast will lose their deposit.

Objections to the validity of any nomination form or any home address form can be made 19 working days before the poll.

The time within which an objection can be made depends on when the nomination papers and home address forms are delivered.

If you are your own election agent, you can appoint one other person to attend the delivery of nomination papers and make objections.

Timetable for objections1  

Nominations delivered up to 4pm, 20 working days before the poll

Objections to any nomination form or home address form delivered up to and including 4pm, 20 working days before the poll must be made between 10 am and 12 noon, 19 working days before the poll.

Nominations delivered after 4pm, 20 working days before the poll

Objections to any nomination form or any home address form delivered after 4pm, 20 working days before the poll must be made between 10am and 5pm, 19 working days before the poll. Any objection must be made at or immediately after the time of the delivery of the nomination.

Decisions on objections

The CCARO will consider any objections made, but is entitled to hold a nomination invalid only on the following grounds:2

• that the particulars of the candidate or subscribers on the nomination form are not as required by law
• that the nomination form is not subscribed as required
• that the home address form does not comply with the requirements as to the details to be provided on it

The CCARO’s decision that a nomination is valid is final and cannot be challenged during the election. The decision can only be challenged after an election through an election petition. Further information can be found in our guidance on election petitions.
 

You may withdraw as a candidate by signing and submitting a withdrawal notice, which must be witnessed by one other person. There are no restrictions on who may submit the notice, but it must be delivered by hand. Your witness must also sign the notice. You can obtain a notice of withdrawal from the CCARO or download it from our website.

If you are outside the UK and want to withdraw, your proposer can sign the withdrawal notice on your behalf and the withdrawal must be accompanied by a written declaration signed by your proposer confirming your absence.

If you are outside the UK and stand nominated by more than one nomination form, you should speak to the CCARO if you wish to withdraw as special rules apply in this instance. 

The withdrawal notice must be submitted by the deadline for withdrawals (i.e. by 4pm, 19 working days before the poll).

After the withdrawal deadline it is not possible to withdraw from the election, and your name will appear on the ballot paper. If the election is uncontested, you will be declared elected.

If you withdraw as a candidate, your deposit will be returned.

The CCARO will publish a statement of persons nominated for the combined county authority area by no later than 4pm, 18 working days before the poll.1

The statement will include:2

• the full or commonly used names, as the case may be, of all candidates validly nominated
• the names of candidates who no longer stand nominated, if any (i.e. invalid and withdrawn candidates and those who have died), with the reason why they are no longer standing
• the address of each candidate or, if they have requested not to make their home address public, the name of the relevant area in which their home address is situated (or the country if their home address is situated outside the UK)
• each candidate's description (if any)

Candidate contact details

Where you have provided your email or telephone contact details to the CCARO via the candidate contact details form, these details will then be passed on to the police to enable them to provide you with any specific security guidance updates or advice for these elections. 

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.1 After your nomination papers and deposit have been delivered and you stand validly nominated, the following can inspect and make objections to a nomination form or a home address form:

• you
• your election agent
• your proposer or seconder

Nomination papers and home address forms cannot be inspected by anybody else at any time.2

In addition to those included in the list above, Electoral Commission representatives and one other person chosen by each validly nominated candidate may also be present at the delivery of nomination papers, but may not inspect them nor make any objections.3

Except for the purpose of delivering nomination papers, no other person, except the CCARO and their staff, may attend the delivery of nomination papers.  

After the close of nominations, the CCARO will establish whether or not there is a need to hold a poll. If there is more than one candidate standing validly nominated after the deadline for withdrawals, there will be a poll.1

If, however, after the deadline for withdrawals there is only one candidate standing, the CCARO will declare that candidate elected.2

If there are two or more candidates standing, the combined county authority mayor will be elected under first-past-the-post.

If the election is uncontested, elected candidates must still make a declaration as to their election spending. You can find more information about submitting spending returns and taking up office in our guidance.

If the CCARO is notified of a candidate’s death during the election campaign or even on polling day itself (but before the declaration of the result), the poll will be cancelled.1

The CCARO will in that case order a new election to fill the vacancy.2 The new polling day will be within 35 working days of the day fixed for the first election.3 Candidates already validly nominated do not have to be nominated a second time.4

Should a fellow candidate die during the campaign, the CCARO will provide you with further guidance.

If an already elected candidate dies after the declaration of the result, a by-election would be needed to fill the vacancy.

Information about the death of an agent can be found in our guidance appointing an election agent.
 

Mae'r adrannau canlynol yn rhoi arweiniad ar bleidleisio drwy'r post a'r prosesau dan sylw.

Mae'r canllawiau yn ymdrin â'r canlynol:

•    Pwy all wneud cais i bleidleisio drwy'r post
•    Yr hyn sydd wedi'i gynnwys mewn pecynnau pleidleisio drwy'r post
•    Agor amlenni pleidleisiau post a phwy all fod yn bresennol
•    Y broses o agor amlenni pleidleisiau post
•    Penodi asiantiaid pleidleisio drwy'r post a'u rôl
Mae'r canllawiau hefyd yn cwmpasu eich dyletswydd i gynnal cyfrinachedd yn ystod sesiynau agor pleidleisiau post.

Mae Deddf Etholiadau 2022 wedi cyflwyno cyfyngiadau penodol ar drin pleidleisiau post. Bydd y ddeddfwriaeth hon yn weithredol ar gyfer yr etholiadau a gynhelir ym mis Mai 2024. Bydd angen i chi sicrhau bod eich cefnogwyr yn ymwybodol ei bod yn drosedd i ymdrin â phapurau pleidleisio a gwblhawyd neu becynnau pleidleisio drwy'r post ar gyfer pleidleiswyr ar gyfer pleidleiswyr nad ydynt yn aelodau agos o'r teulu neu'n rhywun y maent yn gofalu amdanynt ac y dylid dilyn y Cod ymddygiad ar gyfer ymgyrchwyr ym Mhrydain Fawr . Caiff y canllawiau hyn eu diweddaru gyda'r mesurau ar drin pleidleisiau post o'r Ddeddf Etholiadau pan fydd yr is-ddeddfwriaeth berthnasol wedi'i chyflwyno a'r prosesau wedi cael eu cadarnhau.
 

The following can apply to vote by post in local elections by submitting an application to their Electoral Registration Officer:

• A person aged 18 or over who is registered to vote
• A person aged 18 or over who or has applied to be registered to vote
• A person who has been appointed to vote as a proxy on behalf of someone else

The application must be received by the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm, 11 working days before the poll.1

The Electoral Registration Officer has no discretion to extend the deadline for whatever reason.

Postal ballot packs will be sent to electors from around two weeks before polling day.

Electors who registered close to the registration deadline will be issued with their postal ballot packs once their names have been added to the final register update on the fifth working day before the poll. Electors who applied for their postal vote close to the application deadline will be issued with their postal ballot packs once their application has been determined.

Electors will then mark their ballot paper, complete their postal voting statement by providing their signature and date of birth, and return them to the local Returning Officer (local RO) before the close of poll (i.e. 10pm on polling day).

Candidates, election agents and postal voting agents are not entitled to attend the issue of postal votes.
 

Postal ballot packs contain the following:

• Envelope A is the envelope that the elector returns their ballot paper in. It is marked with the letter ‘A’ and the words ‘ballot paper envelope’
• Envelope B is the envelope that the elector will use to return the ballot paper envelope and the postal voting statement. It is marked with the letter ‘B’ and the address of the local RO
• The postal voting statement contains the elector’s name, the number of the ballot paper issued to them, instructions on how to vote by post and space for the elector to sign and provide their date of birth
• The ballot paper

If the election is combined with another poll, the RO may have decided to combine the issue of postal votes.

In that case, the postal ballot pack will also contain the ballot paper for the other electoral event(s).

Who can attend the opening of postal votes?

Candidates, election agents and postal voting agents are not entitled to attend the issue of postal votes.

The following people are entitled to attend the opening of returned postal votes:

• you
• your election agent or a person appointed by you to attend in their place.1  
• agents you have appointed to attend openings on your behalf.2

For details on how to appoint these agents see our guidance on appointing postal voting agents.

Duty to maintain secrecy during postal vote opening sessions

Ballot papers will be kept face down throughout a postal vote opening session.3 Anyone attending an opening session has a duty to maintain secrecy and must not:

• obtain 
• attempt to obtain 
• communicate at any time to another person
  • any information relating to the number or other unique identifying mark on the back of a ballot paper4
  • any information as to the official mark on a postal ballot paper before the close of poll5
• disclose how any particular ballot paper has been marked or pass on any such information gained from the session.6

It follows therefore that keeping a tally of how ballot papers have been marked is not allowed.

Anyone found guilty of breaching these requirements can face an unlimited fine or may be imprisoned for up to six months.7

You may appoint agents to attend postal vote openings.

Anyone, apart from the following people listed below, can be appointed as a postal vote agent:

• the CCARO or a local Returning Officer or a member of their staff1
• a partner or clerk of the CCARO or a local Returning Officer or a member of their staff2
• anyone not entitled to vote at the election as a result of the report of an election court or a conviction for a corrupt or illegal practice under the Representation of the People Act 19833

You and your election agent can automatically act as one of these agents without the need of an official appointment.4 Sub-agents may also attend but only instead of the election agent.

Each local Returning Officer will tell you the maximum number of postal voting you can appoint.5 All candidates will be allowed to appoint exactly the same number.

The request to appoint postal voting agents must be made in writing to the relevant local Returning Officer.6

The request must contain the names and addresses of the people being appointed.7 The local Returning Officer will provide forms you can use for this, or you can use the Commission’s postal voting agent appointment form.

Appointment forms for postal voting agents need to be submitted to the relevant local Returning Officer by the time fixed for the opening of postal votes they want to attend.8

The local Returning Officer will give you at least 48 hours’ notice before the scheduled start of each postal vote opening session.9

If an agent dies or becomes incapable of acting, you may appoint another agent in their place by submitting the relevant appointment form to the relevant local Returning Officer.10 Any new appointment in these circumstances must be made without delay.

More information on what postal voting agents can and cannot do and what they can expect to see at postal vote opening sessions can be found in our guidance what does a postal voting agent do and the stages of the postal vote opening process.

A postal voting agent is allowed to attend and observe postal vote opening sessions, which are run by the local RO.

At each opening session the local RO will decide whether or not the date of birth and signature provided by electors on their postal voting statements match the signature and date of birth previously provided and held on their records. If there is a mismatch, the postal vote will be rejected.

A postal voting agent has a right to observe, but not to interfere with, this process. A postal voting agent can, however, object to the decision of a local RO to reject a postal vote.1 It will not affect the local RO's decision, but the local RO will record any objections by marking the postal voting statement with the words 'rejection objected to'.

Like your postal voting agents, you, your election agent and the person you may have appointed to attend on your election agent’s behalf are also entitled to object to a rejection.

The local RO will explain the postal vote opening process to you and may issue you with information on the procedures to be followed, including instructions on what people attending an opening session can and cannot do. Anyone attending an opening session should comply with any instructions that the local RO has given.

Each local RO will open postal votes for their part of the combined county authority area. It is likely that several opening sessions will take place before polling day, as well as on polling day itself.

Each local RO must:

• give candidates at least 48 hours’ notice of when and where their sessions will take place1
• set out how many postal voting agents will be allowed to attend each session

Each local RO will have a final opening session after the polls have closed to open any postal votes handed in to polling stations. This session may be held at the count venue(s) or in another location. The local ROs will advise you of the location for their final opening.

For more information on the process carried out at the opening of postal votes see Stages of the postal vote opening process.

The stages of the postal vote opening process can be summarised as follows:

Matching up postal voting statements with postal ballot papers

The LRO will keep lists of any provisionally rejected postal ballot papers1 which are:

• any postal ballot paper that are been returned without a postal voting statement 
• any postal voting statement that are not returned with the ballot paper

The LRO will check these lists regularly to ensure that if any mismatched documents can be matched up, those postal ballots are re-introduced into the process.

Valid ballot papers are those ballot papers whose related postal voting statement has passed the signature and date of birth checks.

A very small number of voters do not need to sign their postal voting statement. These voters will have been granted a waiver because they are unable to sign or provide a consistent signature due to a disability or an inability to read or write. The postal voting statement sent to such electors will make this clear.

Invalid ballot papers are set aside and stored in secure packets.

Unless a waiver has been granted, the local RO will reject a postal voting statement if a signature and/or date of birth is missing or if a signature and/or date of birth does not match that previously provided by the elector and held on record.

Rejected statements are attached to the relevant ballot paper or ballot paper envelope. They are marked as ‘rejected’ and shown to any agents present.

Agents can object to the local RO’s decision to reject any postal vote and, if they do, the words ‘rejection objected to’ are added to it. However, the local RO’s decision is final and the postal vote will remain rejected.

Other reasons for rejection include when  an individual handing in a postal vote to the Returning Officer:

• does not fully complete the postal vote return form (incomplete)
• hands in postal votes on behalf of more than the permitted number of electors
• is a campaigner not permitted to handle postal votes
• does not complete the postal vote return form (left behind)

In these cases the postal vote will be rejected. You may see these rejected postal votes sealed up with a description of its contents written on each packet.
 

Polling day is the day on which polling stations will open and electors will visit them to cast their votes in person. It is also the last day that local Returning Officers can accept returned postal votes. Polling day is sometimes called “election day”.

The guidance covers: 

• Polling station locations and the voting process
• Who can support you on polling day (including polling agents and tellers)
• Polling day dos and don’ts for you and your campaigners
• What happens after polls close
   

You and your election agent are entitled to observe proceedings inside polling stations.1

A sub-agent may attend, but only in place of the election agent.2

Additionally, you may appoint agents to attend polling stations on your behalf.3 For more details please see our guidance on appointing polling agents.

Finding the location of polling stations

The Returning Officer must give public notice of the location of polling stations by the sixth working day before the poll.4 They will give a copy of this notice to all appointed election agents soon after this.

Polling station opening hours

Polling stations will be open on polling day between 7am and 10pm. Any voters waiting in a queue at their polling station at 10pm will be allowed to vote, even if they haven’t yet been issued with a ballot paper. 

Most people choose to vote in person at their polling station. Any person on the polling station’s electoral register can vote at the polling station in a local election, unless:

• they are a registered postal voter
• they are a registered proxy voter and their proxy has already voted for them or has applied to vote on their behalf by post
• they are not 18 years of age or older on polling day
• they are registered as an overseas elector

Electors will receive a poll card before the election telling them where and when they can vote. Electors do not need to take their poll card to the polling station in order to vote, unless they are registered anonymously due to a risk to their safety.

Photographic ID requirements

Electors voting in a polling station will be required to show photographic ID before they are issued with a ballot paper. The accepted forms of photographic ID are:1

• a passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a British Overseas Territory 
• a passport or passport card issued by an EEA state, or a country whose citizens are Commonwealth citizens 
• a driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state
• a biometric immigration document2
• an identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
• a Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
• a Ministry of Defence Form 100 (HM Armed Forces Veteran Card)3   
• a Blue Badge
• a national identity card issued by an EEA state
• an Older Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government
• a Disabled Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government
• an Oyster 60+ Card funded by the UK Government
• a Freedom Pass
• a National Entitlement Card issued by a local authority in Scotland 
• a 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
• a Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
• a Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• an Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland 

Expired photographic ID documents can still be used as accepted photographic ID at the polling station, as long as the photograph is still a good likeness of the elector.

Where an elector does not have one of the accepted forms of photographic ID, they can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate in a number of ways: 

• online at https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate 
• in writing on a paper application form
• in person, if the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) is offering this service at their office

Anonymous electors wishing to vote in person will be required to apply for an Anonymous Elector’s Document. An application for an Anonymous Elector’s document can only be made in writing, using a paper application form. Your local ERO will be able to provide the elector with this form on request. The application form can then be returned to the ERO by the elector by post, by hand or by emailing a scanned copy.

Candidates and agents should not handle completed applications for Voter Authority Certificates or Anonymous Elector’s Documents. Further information is provided in our code of conduct for campaigners in Great Britain.

Return of postal ballot packs

Registered postal voters cannot be issued with a ballot paper at the polling station, but they can return their completed postal ballot pack to their polling station on polling day. Alternatively, they may return their postal vote to any polling station in the ward or by hand to the Returning Officer (RO) at the elections office.

If the RO has issued postal ballot packs for more than one election on the same day, they will provide information to the electors to explain where their postal ballot packs can be returned to. 

Postal ballot packs returned to polling stations must be handed to polling station staff and not placed in the ballot box. 

Restrictions on the handling of postal votes

It is an offence for a political campaigner to handle completed ballot papers or postal ballot packs for voters who are not close family or someone they care for.

It also sets a limit for the number of postal votes that can be handed in to a polling station or handed to the RO and introduces a requirement the completion of a form when doing so. 

A person can hand in postal votes on behalf of five other electors as well as their own.

A person who hands in a postal vote is required to complete a form containing information required by law. Failure to complete the form will result in the rejection of the postal votes that are handed in at a polling station or handed to the RO.

The Returning Officer may arrange for the collection of any postal votes that electors have handed in at polling stations throughout polling day. The Presiding Officer must seal any returned postal votes in a packet before they are collected. Any of your agents present can add their own seal to the packet if they wish.

Once all voters who have been issued with a ballot paper have voted, the ballot box is sealed by the Presiding Officer and polling agents can add their own seal if they wish.1 After the Presiding Officer has completed all of the paperwork, the sealed ballot box is taken to the count venue.

The voting process can be summarised as follows.

Polling station staff will:

• ask voters for their name and address before making sure that they are eligible to vote by checking against the register of electors
• ask the voter to produce their photographic ID
• verify the photographic ID
• mark a straight line against the voter’s entry on the register of electors
• write the elector number on a list (the Corresponding Numbers List) next to the number of the ballot paper to be issued
• ensure that the ballot paper includes the official mark (e.g. a barcode or watermark)
• fold the ballot paper and then hand it unfolded to the elector so that they can see all of the options on the ballot paper

The elector will then: 

• take the ballot paper to the polling booth, and
• mark the ballot paper in private, unless assisted by a companion or the Presiding Officer
• fold the marked ballot paper and show the ballot paper number and unique identifying mark on the back of the ballot paper to the Presiding Officer
• place the ballot paper into the ballot box and then leave the polling station

The polling station will have facilities for any voter who wishes to have their ID checked in private.

Where the voter does not bring ID or brings an incorrect form of ID, the voter will be able to return to the polling station with an acceptable form of photographic ID. Once an acceptable form of ID is shown, the voter will be issued with a ballot paper.

Combined Polls

Where the election has been combined with another electoral event, polling station staff will be issuing the ballot papers for all electoral events that the voter is eligible to vote at.

This means that sometimes electors may not be receiving all of the ballot papers being issued in the polling station, as they may not be entitled to vote at every electoral event.
 
If polls have been combined, a single ballot box may be used for all contests, or separate ballot boxes may be used for each separate contest. 

Accessibility in polling stations

The Returning Officer has a responsibility to ensure that voting is accessible. They must provide each polling station with a range of equipment as is reasonable for the purposes of enabling or making it easier for disabled voters to vote independently and in secret.

The Presiding Officer can assist anyone who is unable to mark the ballot paper themselves.1 Alternatively, a voter may bring along someone they know and trust to assist them in marking their vote.2 The person assisting the voter must be aged 18 or over, and can only assist a maximum of two voters at the election.

Any person attending the polling station to assist an elector must complete a declaration to the Presiding Officer before they aid the elector in the polling booth.

Ar y diwrnod pleidleisio, gallwch gael cefnogaeth gan ymgyrchwyr, asiantiaid pleidleisio ac efallai y byddwch hefyd yn bwriadu defnyddio rhifwyr.  

Mae'r adran hon yn rhoi rhagor o wybodaeth am
 
•    asiantiaid pleidleisio a sut i'w penodi
•    rôl rhifwyr
•    y gofyniad i gynnal cyfrinachedd y bleidlais
•    yr hyn y dylai ac na ddylai ymgeiswyr a'u cefnogwyr ei wneud ar y diwrnod pleidleisio

 

You may appoint people as agents to attend the polling stations.1

What does a polling agent do?

While a polling agent can observe the poll, they do not have to be present in a polling station for polling and related procedures to take place. Polling agents have a number of important roles to play on polling day. They can:

• be present in the polling station before the opening of the poll to watch the Presiding Officer show the empty ballot box before it is sealed
• detect personation and prevent people voting more than once in the election (other than as proxies). Personation is when an individual votes as someone else, whether that person is living, dead or fictitious.
• be present when the Presiding Officer marks a ballot paper at the request of an elector who needs assistance marking a ballot paper because of a disability or an inability to read or write
• report to you or your election agent any improper activities and keep notes, if required, for giving evidence in court
• be present at the close of poll when the various packets of documents are sealed
• attach their seal to any packets made up by the Presiding Officer at the close of poll, including the ballot box. Polling agents’ seals cannot be attached to ballot boxes at the start of, or during, the poll.

You and your election agent can also do anything that a polling agent is entitled to do.2

Anyone can be appointed as a polling agent, provided that they are not:

• the CCARO or a local Returning Officer(LRO) or a member of their staff1
• a deputy or clerk of the CCARO or a local Returning Officer, or a member of their staff2
• an officer of a local authority whose services have been placed at the disposal of the CCARO or a local Returning Officer3  
• a partner or clerk of any of the above4
• anyone not entitled to vote at the election as a result of the report of an election court or a conviction for a corrupt or illegal practice under the Representation of the People Act 19835

You and your election agent can also automatically act as one of those agents without the need of an official appointment.6 Sub-agents may also attend, but only instead of the election agent.

The number of agents who may be appointed to any particular polling station is limited to four,7 or such greater number as the local Returning Officer decides to allow. If more than that number are appointed, the local RO will draw lots to determine those people who may attend. Only one polling agent for each candidate can be present in a polling station at any time, but a polling agent can be appointed to attend multiple polling stations. Your right to attend will remain unaffected by this.

Polling agents must be appointed by not later than 5 working days before the poll.8 The request to appoint polling agents must be made in writing to the local Returning Officer by you or your election agent.9 It must contain the names and addresses of the people being appointed.10 The local Returning Officer will provide forms you can use for this, or you can use the Commission’s polling agent appointment forms.

If an agent dies or becomes incapable of acting, you may appoint another agent in their place by submitting the relevant appointment form to the local Returning Officer.11 Any new appointment in these circumstances must be made without delay.

Pobl sy'n sefyll y tu allan i fannau pleidleisio ac yn cofnodi rhifau etholwyr sydd wedi pleidleisio yw rhifwyr. Wedyn, gallant nodi cefnogwyr tebygol nad ydynt wedi pleidleisio a'u hannog i wneud hynny cyn i'r orsaf bleidleisio gau.

Nid oes gan rifwyr statws cyfreithiol ac mae gan bleidleiswyr yr hawl i wrthod rhoi unrhyw wybodaeth iddynt. Y Swyddog Canlyniadau Lleol sy'n gyfrifol am y modd y cynhelir yr etholiad yn ei ardal bleidleisio. Os yw gweithgareddau'r rhifwyr yn achos pryder iddynt, gallant ofyn i'r rhifwyr gydymffurfio â'r cod ymddygiad cytûn neu adael y man pleidleisio.

Rydym wedi llunio taflen ffeithiau o'r hyn y dylai ac na ddylai rhifwyr ei wneud  yn ogystal â chanllawiau mwy cynhwysfawr ar weithgareddau rhifwyr . Nod y canllawiau yw sicrhau bod pawb yn gwybod yn union beth sy'n dderbyniol a'r hyn nad yw'n dderbyniol ac fe'u lluniwyd i hyrwyddo safonau ymddygiad priodol. Gall y Swyddog Canlyniadau Lleol roi ei ganllawiau ei hun i rifwyr hefyd.
 

Mae gan unrhyw un sy'n bresennol mewn gorsaf bleidleisio ddyletswydd i gynnal cyfrinachedd y bleidlais.1  Yn benodol, rhaid sicrhau na chaiff y wybodaeth ganlynol ei datgelu:

•    enw neu rif etholiadol y rhai sydd wedi neu heb bleidleisio
•    y rhif neu farc adnabod unigryw arall ar y papur pleidleisio

Hefyd, rhaid i unrhyw un sy'n bresennol mewn gorsaf bleidleisio sicrhau nad yw'n ceisio canfod sut mae pleidleisiwr wedi pleidleisio na phwy y mae ar fin pleidleisio drosto.

Gall asiant pleidleisio farcio ar ei gopi ef o'r gofrestr etholwyr y pleidleiswyr hynny sydd wedi gwneud cais am bapur pleidleisio. Os bydd yr asiant pleidleisio yn gadael yr orsaf bleidleisio yn ystod yr oriau pleidleisio, bydd angen iddo adael y copi wedi'i farcio o'r gofrestr yn yr orsaf bleidleisio er mwyn sicrhau na thorrir gofynion cyfrinachedd.

Gall unrhyw un y'i dyfernir yn euog o dorri'r gofynion cyfrinachedd wynebu dirwy anghyfyngedig, neu hyd at chwe mis yn y carchar.

Yng Nghymru, i gael rhagor o wybodaeth, darllenwch  gofynion cyfrinachedd gorsafoedd pleidleisio yn Saesneg ac yn Gymraeg.

Yn Lloegr, i gael rhagor o wybodaeth, darllenwch ofynion cyfrinachedd gorsafoedd pleidleisio.

You should:

• make sure that any tellers working for you follow our tellers’ dos and don’ts and any guidance issued by the local Returning Officer and the CCARO.

  Tellers dos and don'ts - UKPE, PCC, CAM, GLA, LAM, LGE (DOCX)
• make sure your campaigners follow the code of conduct for campaigners in Great Britain which sets out what is, and is not, considered acceptable behaviour at polling stations and in the community.
• make sure you follow any additional security advice provided by the CCARO
• comply with requests by polling station staff, local Returning Officers and the CCARO about campaigning near polling stations. You should, however, be allowed to put your message to voters on polling day, including in public spaces outside polling places.
• make sure that any agents who are attending polling stations, postal vote opening sessions or the count understand the rules about the secrecy of the ballot. For more information, see our documents setting out the secrecy requirements for the poll, postal voting and the count.

You must not:

• campaign near polling stations in a way that could be seen by voters as aggressive or intimidating (for example, large groups of supporters carrying banners, or vehicles with loudspeakers or heavily branded with campaign material).
• breach the requirements on secrecy of the ballot.1 This is an essential part of any modern democracy and breaches are taken seriously.
• seek to identify and publicise how votes have been marked on individual ballot papers, particularly if you (or your agents) attend postal vote opening sessions.
• publish exit polls or any other data based on information given by people about how they voted after they have cast their vote, including a postal vote, before the close of poll.2

Mae'r adrannau canlynol yn rhoi arweiniad ar y broses o ddilysu a chyfrif y pleidleisiau yn yr etholiad. Fel ymgeisydd cewch wahoddiad i fod yn bresennol ac arsylwi ar y prosesau hyn. 

Mae'n cynnwys canllawiau ar y canlynol: 

• Pryd a ble y cynhelir y cyfrif
• Pwy all fod yn bresennol yn y cyfrif
• Sut y caiff pleidleisiau eu cyfrif
• Beth yw gwaith asiant cyfrif? 
• Dyletswydd i sicrhau cyfrinachedd
• Beth os nad yw'r bleidlais ar bapur pleidleisio yn glir?
• Papurau pleidleisio amheus
• Pleidleisiau cyfartal
• Datgan canlyniad
   

The local Returning Officer (LRO) is responsible for verifying and counting the votes for their area. There will be a count for each local authority area which may be held locally or centrally. The LRO will notify you of the exact time and location of their local verification and count.

The Combined Authority Returning Officer (CCARO) is responsible for collating the totals from each local RO and calculating the result for the whole of the combined county authority area. The CCARO will notify you of the time and location of the calculation of the result. 

The LRO and CCARO will issue instructions or an invitation with any requirements they have in place for attendance. This could include information about any additional security measures in place such as requiring attendees to show ID and bag checks before being allowed entry, as well as information about the expected standards of behaviour for attendees. You should ensure these instructions are followed by yourself and anyone else attending with you. Failure to comply with these expectations, or any instructions issued by the LRO/CCARO, may result in your removal from the venue.

You and your election agent are entitled to attend the verification and count for any of the local authority areas in the combined county authority area.1 You and your election agent are also entitled to observe the calculation of the result for the combined county authority area.2

Additionally, you can invite one other person to attend the count in each of the local authority areas.

You and your election agent may also appoint agents specifically to attend the count in each of the local authority areas on your behalf.3

A sub-agent is entitled to attend in place of an election agent, but only if the proceedings are in the area to which they have been appointed to act.4

You should ensure that you and all your attendees comply with any instructions given by the CCARO

For details on how to appoint agents, see our guidance on appointing your counting agents.

Counting agents have a number of important roles to play at the count:

• they observe the counting process and make sure that it is accurate
• they can draw to the attention of count staff any doubtful ballot papers
• if they disagree with a decision by the local RO to reject a ballot paper, they can ask the local RO to mark on the ballot paper “rejection objected to”
• if a count is suspended for any reason, there is a break between the end of verification and the start of the count and/or ballot boxes with verified ballot papers need to be transported to a different location for counting, counting agents can add their seals when the local RO seals the ballot boxes and envelopes

You and your election agent can do anything a counting agent is allowed to do.1  

 

You (or your election agent) may also appoint agents to attend the count.1

Anyone, apart from those listed below, can be appointed as a counting agent.

The following people are not allowed to be counting agents:

• the CCARO or a local Returning Officer, or a member of their staff (including any clerks appointed specifically for the election)2
• a deputy or clerk of the CCARO or a local Returning Officer, or a member of their staff3
• an officer of a local authority whose services have been placed at the disposal of the CCARO or a local Returning Officer4
• a partner or clerk of any of the above5
• anyone not entitled to vote at the election as a result of the report of an election court or a conviction for a corrupt or illegal practice under the Representation of the People Act 19836

You and your election agent can also automatically act as one of those agents without the need of an official appointment.7 Sub-agents may also attend, but only instead of the election agent.

Each local RO will tell you the maximum number of counting agents you can appoint.8 All candidates will be allowed to appoint exactly the same number. At the count, unless there are special circumstances, the number of counting agents allowed for each candidate will not be less than the number obtained by dividing the number of counting assistants (i.e. those staff employed on the counting) by the number of candidates.9

For each of the local counts, one counting agent for each candidate may be designated as a person authorised to request a re-count. The designation must be made at the same time as their appointment as a counting agent.

The request to appoint these agents must be made in writing to the relevant local RO by you or your election agent.10 It must contain the names and addresses of the people being appointed.11 A separate appointment must be made for each local count, even if all local counts are held in a central location. The local RO will provide forms you can use for this, or you can find counting agent appointment forms on the Commission's website.

The deadline for appointing these counting agents is by no later than 5 working days before the poll.12

If an agent dies or becomes incapable of acting, you may appoint another agent in their place by submitting the relevant appointment form to the relevant local RO.13 Any new appointment in these circumstances must be made without delay.

More information on what agents can and cannot do and what they can expect to see at the count, can be found in our guidance What does a counting agent do? 

Mae dyletswydd ar unrhyw un sy'n bresennol yn ystod y broses gyfrif i gynnal cyfrinachedd y cyfrif.1  Yn arbennig, ni ddylai unrhyw un sy'n bresennol wneud y canlynol: 

•    canfod neu geisio canfod y rhif neu'r marc adnabod unigryw arall ar gefn unrhyw bapur pleidleisio 
•    cyfleu unrhyw wybodaeth a geir yn ystod y cyfrif ynghylch yr ymgeisydd y rhoddir unrhyw bleidlais iddi neu iddo ar unrhyw bapur pleidleisio penodol
 

Stage 1 – Check in

The LRO's staff will deliver the ballot boxes from the polling station to the count venue.

The LRO’s staff check the ballot boxes as they arrive at the count venue.

Stage 2 – Verification

Ballot boxes are emptied onto tables and the empty boxes are shown to agents.

Staff count the ballot papers from each polling station.

Staff verify that the number of ballot papers matches the number of papers issued, as recorded on the Presiding Officers’ ballot paper accounts.

The verified ballot papers are shown to election and counting agents face up.

The LRO determines the reasons for any discrepancies and produces a final verified total.

The LRO produces a statement of the verification. Agents can view or copy this statement if they wish.

Where the election has been combined with another electoral event, all ballot boxes will be verified before any results are declared.

There may be a single ballot box for all elections or separate boxes for each. In any case, ballot papers will be sorted into the separate contests.

Any ballot paper found in the ‘wrong’ ballot box is still valid and will be moved to the correct box during verification.

If the count does not take place immediately following verification, the verified boxes will be stored securely. Candidates and agents can attach their seals to boxes if they wish.

Stage 3 – Counting of the votes

Staff sort ballot papers by candidate and count the number of votes cast for each candidate.

The local totals are then transmitted to the CCARO for the calculation of the result.

A ballot paper will not be counted if it:

• is unmarked
• does not contain the official mark
• contains more than one vote
• the voter has not indicated their choice with certainty
• contains any mark or writing that may identify the voter

The local RO must draw up a statement showing the number of ballot papers rejected in their local authority area for these reasons.

The local RO must mark the word “rejected” on any ballot paper that is rejected. They must add the words “rejection objected to” if a counting agent objects to the local RO’s decision. 

If the voter’s intention is clear on a ballot paper and the voter cannot be identified by any mark or writing, it will not be void if a vote is marked:

• elsewhere than in the proper place
• by other means than a cross (e.g. a tick)
• by more than one mark

Doubtful ballot papers

To assist local ROs, we have produced guidance on how to adjudicate votes on ballot papers that may appear doubtful. This guidance is contained in our booklet Dealing with doubtful ballot papers. We have also produced ballot paper placemats of allowed and rejected votes for quick reference.

The examples given in these documents are based on the election rules.

Please note that while these documents provide guidance for local ROs, each individual local RO has the ultimate responsibility for making a decision on individual ballot papers. Additionally the CCARO may also have provided guidance to the local ROs in the combined county authority area in order to ensure consistency of approach across the combined county authority area.

The local RO’s decision to reject a particular ballot paper during the count or recount is final and can only be reviewed at an election petition after the declaration of the result. For more details see our guidance on election petitions.

You, your election agent, or the counting agent you have designated to request recounts, can ask the local RO to recount the votes.1 The local RO can refuse to recount if they think the request is unreasonable.

Recounts can only be requested at local authority level. Combined county authority wide recounts are not allowed.
 

Once all the count totals from all local ROs within the combined county authority area have been added up by the CCARO, the CCARO will declare and give public notice of the result.

The CCARO will share the figures with the election agents present who may request the CCARO to recalculate result, but the CCARO may refuse to do so if they consider the request unreasonable.

Some Returning Officers allow candidates to make speeches after the result is declared. Please check arrangements with the CCARO.  You should ensure that you and your supporters comply with any instructions given by the LRO or CCARO regarding the standards of behaviour required during verbal announcements.

For details of what happens after the result has been announced see After the election.

This section sets out what happens after the election, including actions that candidates must take. This covers:

• Submitting your spending return and the associated deadlines
• Access and supply of election documents
• Election petitions
   

After the election, the agent should make sure that:

• all invoices are received no later than 21 calendar days after the election result is declared1
• all invoices are paid no later than 28 calendar days after the election result is declared2
• an election spending return reporting details of the candidate’s spending and donations, together with a declaration confirming the return is complete and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief, is reported to the Combined County Authority Returning Officer (CCARO) no later than 35 days after the election result is declared3

Please note that if the deadline for any of the above falls on a weekend or public holiday, the deadline will move to the next working day.4  This is included within the following deadline calculations.

26 May is a bank holiday, and this table takes this into account.

The candidate must provide a written statement of their personal expenses to their agent within 21 days of the result being declared.5  

The candidate must also send the CCARO a declaration confirming that the return is complete and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief. This must be done within seven working days of the return being submitted.6

If the candidate is outside the United Kingdom when the declaration is due, the deadline for submitting their declaration is extended to 14 days after they come back.7

You must still submit a return even if you haven’t spent any money.8  This is called a ‘nil return’.

There are consequences for failure to submit spending returns and these are set out in What happens if a spending return or declaration isn’t submitted?

Invoices received or paid outside of the deadlines

We call claims (invoices for your candidate spending) that are received by the election agent later than the deadline of 21 days, unpaid claims. 

Unpaid claims cannot legally be paid unless a court order is gained granting leave to pay the claim.9   It can be an offence to pay an unpaid claim without a court order.10

We call claims (invoices) that were submitted within the deadline of 21 days but remain unpaid later than the deadline of 28 days, disputed claims.

Disputed claims cannot legally be paid without a court order first being gained granting leave to pay the claim.11

Any claim paid:

• after the 21 day deadline for receipt, or
• after the 28 day deadline for payments,

following a successful application to the court and after the deadline for submission of election spending returns, must be reported in writing to the returning officer within seven days of payment and be accompanied by a copy of the court order.12

You should also forward a copy of the Order to the Electoral Commission.

The spending and donations report is known as a ‘return’.

The agent must complete the return, which should include the following for each item of spending:

• what the spending was for – for example, leaflets or advertising
• the name and address of the supplier
• the amount or value
• details of when it was incurred and paid
• details of any unpaid or disputed amounts
• details of any notional spending, and a declaration of its value1
• invoices or receipts for any payment of £20 or over2
• details of any personal expenses3

The return must also include details of all donations over £50 and any authorised local campaigning spending.4  There is more information on the details that you need to report in Candidate spending and Candidate donations.

The candidate and agent must also sign a declaration that the return is complete and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief.5   It is your responsibility to fully and accurately report candidate spending.

It is a criminal offence to make a false declaration knowingly.6

Forms you will need:

Failure to submit a spending return or declaration by the deadline without an authorised excuse is a criminal offence.

The Electoral Commission has a legal remit to secure compliance with the rules on candidates’ spending and donations, but no sanctioning powers in respect of breaches. Suspected breaches of the rules should be referred to the police.

If a candidate has been elected but the spending return and/or declaration has not been submitted by the deadline they are disqualified from acting as elected mayor.

If you do not comply with the legal or regulatory requirements you may be subject to criminal sanctions.  If you win the election and someone succeeds in an election petition against your campaign activities  or reporting, you could be barred from holding office.

If you take donations that you can’t legally accept, we may apply to the courts for them to be forfeited.

You can find more information about the Commission’s regulatory role at:

electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/our-enforcement-work  

If you are elected in in an area where the combined county authority mayor will also take on the functions of a Police and Crime Commissioner, you may not exercise the Police and Crime Commissioner functions as Mayor until you have made the declaration of acceptance of office.

Your deposit will be returned to you by the next working day following the declaration of the result if you poll more than 5% of the total number of valid votes cast across the combined county authority area.1

The deposit will be forfeited if you have polled less than, or equal to, 5% of the total number of valid votes cast across the combined county authority area.

After the result is declared, all election documents are securely held by the Electoral Registration Officer for each local authority in the combined county authority area for a period of 12 months.1

Most documents are available for public inspection. Please note that ballot papers are not open to public inspection.

Inspection and supply of the marked registers and lists of absent voters2

The marked electoral registers and lists of absent voters show who has been issued with a ballot paper, who has returned their postal ballot paper, and who has had a proxy vote cast on their behalf.

You can inspect or obtain copies of the marked register of electors and lists of absent voters after the election if you make a request in writing to the relevant Electoral Registration Officer(s). Contact details are available on our website: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/your-election-information

You should be aware that you can only use the information obtained from these documents for research or electoral purposes.

The request for inspection must specify:3

• which documents are requested
• the purposes for which the information in any document will be used
• where the request is to inspect the marked register or lists, any reason why inspecting the full register or unmarked lists would not be sufficient to achieve that purpose
• who will inspect the documents
• the date on which you wish to inspect the documents, and
• whether you would prefer to inspect the documents in a printed or data form.

Inspection is under supervision and will be free of charge. You will not be able to take copies, but may make handwritten notes.

The request for supply must specify:4

• which of the marked register or lists (or the relevant part of the register or lists) are requested
• whether a printed copy of the records or lists is requested or a copy in data form
• the purposes for which the marked register or lists will be used and why the supply or purchase of a copy of the full register or unmarked lists would not be sufficient to achieve that purpose

The requested document will be supplied for a fee of £10 plus £2 for printed and £1 for data versions per 1,000 entries.5

Note that after 12 months these documents, held by the Electoral Registration Officer, will be destroyed, unless a court order directs otherwise.6

Under current data protection legislation personal data processed for any purpose shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose. If you request and are supplied with any of the information listed above, once the purpose for collecting this data has passed, you need to consider if there is a reason for you to retain that data. If there is not you should ensure secure destruction of any data held.

Inspection of other election documents7

You can inspect other election documents, but you will not be allowed to make any notes or take copies of these documents. The only documents that cannot be inspected are:

• the ballot papers
• the corresponding number lists
• the certificates allowing polling station staff to vote at the polling station they are working at
• nomination papers
• postal vote return forms
• the Ballot Paper Refusal List (information from this list can only be disclosed to the relevant elector or proxy on request following their refusal)8  

Nomination papers may only be inspected during the time for delivery of nomination papers, and only by certain people.

After 12 months all of the election documents that are held by the Electoral Registration Officer, with the exception of election spending returns, will be destroyed, unless a court order directs otherwise.9

Inspection of election spending returns10

The spending returns and declarations are held by the Combined County Authority Returning Officer. Spending returns and declarations can be inspected by any person after they have been submitted. Copies can also be made for a fee of 20p per side per page.

Spending returns and declarations are kept for two years. You can request to have them returned to you or your agent at the end of this period. If you or your agent does not want them back, the documents may be destroyed. 

The outcome of a combined county authority mayoral election can be challenged through an election petition.

Lodging an election petition

Only certain people can lodge an election petition, and only under specific circumstances.

An election petition can be presented by:1

• a person claiming to have been a candidate at the election, or
• at least four electors (not anonymously registered electors) who had a right to vote at the election (although they need not have voted).

The allowable grounds for a petition are that:2

• the successful candidate was disqualified at the time of the election
• the successful candidate was not duly elected
• the election was invalidated by corrupt or illegal practices
• the election was invalided by general corruption or the employment of a corrupt agent

Normally a petition must be presented within 21 calendar days after the date of the poll.3 However, if the petition complains of corrupt or illegal practices involving the payment of money or other reward, or an illegal practice relating to election spending, further time may be allowed.

For any questions relating to election petitions and the process for lodging petitions, including to confirm the deadlines, you should contact:

The Election Petitions Office
Room E105
Royal Courts of Justice
Strand
London
WC2A 2LL

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 0207 947 6877
Fax: 0870 324 0024

There are costs attached to an election petition. If you are considering lodging an election petition, we strongly recommend that you take independent legal advice.

What you need to know before you stand as a candidate

Campaigning

Nominations

Postal votes

Polling Day

Verification and count

After the election