The following sections provide guidance on standing as a candidate at a parish council 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 as a political party candidate or standing as an independent candidate. These differences will be clearly highlighted throughout the guidance.
If you are aware of a by-election that will be scheduled to take place on or after 7 May, you will need to ensure any nomination paper you use reflects changes to the qualification criteria regarding nationality which take effect for polls on or after this date. Our versions of the nomination packs are currently being updated, and will be available next week.
Guidance on standing for other elections can be found on our website.