To become nominated as a candidate at a mayoral election in England, you need to submit a completed set of nomination papers to the place fixed by the Returning Officer by 4pm, 19 working days before the poll.1
This deadline is set out in law and cannot be changed for any reason.
The start date from which you will be able to submit nomination papers, as well as the times and place for delivery, will be set out in the notice of election published by the local RO.2
Alongside your nomination papers, you must also lodge a deposit of £500 with the Returning Officer. See our guidance on deposits for further details.
There are three nomination papers that you must submit for your nomination to be valid:3
You can obtain nomination papers from the local elections office. Contact details can be obtained from our website https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter. Alternatively, the Commission has produced a set of nomination papers that you could use.
The RO can hold your nomination paper invalid if the particulars of your nomination are not as required by law. The RO can also reject your nomination if they conclude that it is clearly a sham, for example, if an obviously fictitious name is provided.
If you, your agent or someone you trust are unable to complete the nomination form, the RO can help by preparing the form for your signature.4
The RO may also be able to offer informal checks of your completed nomination papers before you submit them. You should find out from the RO 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 imprisonment.5
1. Local Authorities (Mayoral Elections)(England and Wales) Regulations 2007 (LAM Rules 2007)Schedule 1 rule 3↩ Back to content at footnote 1