Guidance for Candidates at Parish council elections in England

If you commonly use a different name from your actual name, you can ask for your commonly used name(s) to be used instead of your actual name.1   

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

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.

For polls before 2 May 2024

You cannot use your first name as a commonly used name so that only your first name and surname appear on a ballot paper, thus excluding your middle name.

The legislation makes it clear that a commonly used name is one which is different from any other forename or surname.2 This means that a forename in its original format cannot be used as a commonly used name.

If you wish to use a commonly used forename and/or surname then these must be different from your full name as it appears on the nomination form. For example, in the case of Andrew John Smith, he could not use Andrew Smith as his commonly used name, although he would be able to use Andy Smith (if Andy was the name by which he is commonly known).

If you have a hyphenated surname you may choose to use one part of your surname if this is how you are commonly known. For example, in the case of Andrew Smith-Roberts, he could use Andrew Roberts, or Andrew Smith (if either was the name by which he is commonly known).

You may also use initials as part of your commonly used name if you are commonly known by them.

For polls on or after 2 May 2024

The Elections Act 2022 introduced legislation which permits greater flexibility in the names a candidate can put on their nomination paper (and therefore, the ballot paper). This new legislation will be in force for the scheduled polls in May 2024.

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.3
  
Any commonly used name(s) would then appear on:

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

The RO will disallow commonly used names that are likely to mislead or confuse electors, or are obscene or offensive.4 If the name(s) are not permissible, the RO 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 form. Therefore if you choose to provide a commonly used name you must ensure that it is a forename or surname which you commonly use.