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

You should ensure that you offer candidates and election agents a briefing session on the election processes, including local arrangements.

You should also hold an additional briefing session after the list of candidates standing for election has been confirmed after the close of nominations.

As a minimum, your briefing should cover:

• the nomination process
• the election process
• election spending
• accessing the electoral register
• handling of postal votes restrictions on the handling of postal voting documents by campaigners
• the Code of conduct for campaigners in Great Britain 

You should also inform candidates and agents that Voter Identification requirements are in place for this poll.  

You will also need to work with local ROs to decide how information about local arrangements will be provided. This will include information on the dates, times and venues for the key election processes including:

• postal vote issues and openings
• polling day including the equipment provided to polling stations that makes voting easier for disabled people
• the verification and count, including any additional security measures that will be in place 

The briefings should allow for the fact that there may be people who have little or no knowledge of election rules and procedures or who have not involved themselves in elections for some time. 

All briefing sessions should highlight the importance of following the election rules. You should also provide information on the standards of behaviour you expect from supporters in the area of the polling place on polling day and during the verification and count.

Your briefing session(s) should also highlight any security arrangements that have been put in place in consultation with the police, including your plans to share candidate email/phone number contact details with your local force elected-official adviser (FEOA) to help maintain candidate safety. You should advise candidates of how their contact details will be used and provide an opportunity to opt out if necessary. 

You should also invite your police single point of contact (SPOC) and FEOA to attend any briefing sessions, or to provide written material that you can provide to candidates and agents.

Additional security guidance for candidates and agents is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/security-guidance-for-may-2021-elections. 

We have produced a template presentation for candidates and agents at a combined authority mayoral election that you can use and which is available on our website.