For the nomination to be valid, the sum of £500, must be deposited with the Regional Returning Officer (RRO) by the deadline for nominations, 4pm, 23 working days before the poll. The deposit can be made using:1
legal tender – cash (pounds only)
a UK banker’s draft
The RRO may also accept a deposit made by a building society cheque, a debit or credit card or an electronic funds 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 RRO at the earliest opportunity whether the payment method is acceptable.
If the RRO 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 £500 deposit.
The deposit must be made by you as the Nominating Officer or someone appointed in writing on your behalf.2
Where the deposit is made by someone on your behalf, they must at the time they make it give their name and address to the RRO (unless they are the party list’s election agent or a list candidate and their name and address has been previously given to the RRO).3
Parties that poll more than 5% of the total number of valid votes cast in the region will have their deposit returned. The deposit will also be returned if a regional list or individual regional candidate is allocated a seat, even if they have not obtained more than 5% of the valid votes cast. Otherwise those parties that have polled less than, or equal to, 5% of the total number of the valid votes cast will lose their deposit.4