This guidance aims to provide practical advice for anyone who wants to stand as a candidate or be an agent at a district, borough, county or unitary authority election in England. Standing for election can be complicated, but we hope that our guidance will make it as straightforward as possible.

Candidates and their agents must follow certain rules set out in legislation. Our guidance sets out the stages that you need to go through when standing at a local government election. You do not have to follow this guidance, but if you do, you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law.

It includes relevant factual material as well as links to sources of further information. Each section includes a number of forms and resources, which can be directly accessed via links in the text.

You can find out more in How to use our guidance.

Election timetable

We have published a generic election timetable below. For scheduled polls we will publish a specific timetable which will be made available on our website.

If a by-election has been called, you will be able to obtain a copy of the specific timetable for that election from the Returning Officer. 

Data protection

Please note that the data protection legislation applies to the processing of all personal data. Please contact the Information Commissioner's Office for further information about how the current data protection legislation affects you.

We are here to help, so please contact us if you have any questions. Please see Contacting us for contact details. 

Terms and expressions we use

We use ‘must’ when we refer to a specific requirement. We use ‘should’ for items we consider to be minimum good practice, but which are not legal or regulatory requirements.

We use ‘you’ to cover both the candidate and the agent in this guidance. When we talk about donations, we use ‘you’ to refer to the person who is responsible at the time for dealing with donations.

At local government elections, the local government area is subdivided into electoral areas for the purposes of administering the election. Throughout the parts we have used the term ‘ward’ to refer to the electoral area for any local government election. The term ‘ward’ should, however, be read as ‘electoral division’ in elections for unitary and county councils. 

Our guidance is separated out into sections, each of which deals with a different part of the process you will be involved with as a candidate or agent for local government elections in England.

When you click on a link in the navigation list to the right, it will reveal the links to the different areas of guidance for each section. When you reach the end of a page, you can use the link at the bottom right-hand side to move to the next page of guidance.

Each section provides links to relevant forms and information resources, you will find these embedded in the text. You can also access these in the ‘Resources’ link at the end of each section on the navigation tree.

If you wish to print off all of the guidance, you can do so using the link at the top of the page.
Our guidance sets out the stages that candidates and their agents need to go through when standing at a local government election. The areas covered are:
 

If you are a candidate or agent in England

If your question is about spending or donations, please contact us at:

Email:  [email protected]

Tel:  0333 103 1928

For any other queries, please contact us at:

Email:  [email protected]

Tel:  0333 103 1928

The Returning Officer

Local elections are run by the Returning Officer, who is normally a senior officer of the local authority and independent of the authority in respect of their electoral functions. You will be able to contact the Returning Officer for your area by contacting your local elections office. Addresses and telephone numbers of all elections offices can be found on our website.
 
The Returning Officer will offer briefings ahead of an election and we strongly encourage you or your agent to attend, even if you have been an agent or stood for election before.

The Electoral Registration Officer

The Electoral Registration Officer is responsible for maintaining the register of electors and absent voters’ lists for their local authority area. The Electoral Registration Officer is normally a senior officer in the local authority and may also be the Returning Officer. You can find the contact details for your Electoral Registration Officer on our website. 

The Electoral Commission

We are an independent statutory body established in November 2000 by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. We are currently headed by ten Commissioners, including a Chair. We report directly to the UK Parliament through a committee chaired by the Speaker of the House of Commons.

We are responsible for registering political parties and non-party campaigners, the monitoring and publication of significant donations to registered political parties and the regulation of party and non-party campaigner spending at certain elections. We also have a role in promoting voter awareness. We are required to report on the administration of certain electoral events, to keep electoral matters under review and, if requested, must review and report on any electoral matter. We also accredit observers to be present at election proceedings.

We do not run elections but have responsibility for providing advice and assistance on electoral matters to all those involved in elections, including Returning Officers, Electoral Registration Officers, political parties and candidates.

We are here to help, so please get in touch if you have any questions.

The earliest you can officially become a candidate is on the last date for publishing the notice of election, which is 25 working days before the poll.

You will officially become a candidate on this day if, on or before this date, you have already declared yourself a candidate at the election (or another person has declared that you are a candidate).

If, after this date, you or others declare that you will be a candidate at the election, you will become a candidate on the date such a declaration is made, or on the date that you submit your nomination papers, whichever is earlier.

The day after the date you officially become a candidate, spending and donation rules will apply.  
Once you have officially become a candidate, you are entitled to a copy of the electoral register.1

You are also entitled to a copy of the lists of absent voters for the ward you are standing in. 
In addition, you can use publicly funded rooms and schools for public meetings.

You can start campaigning before you officially become a candidate. More information is set out in our guidance on campaigning.
 

In order to stand as a candidate you must ensure that you meet the necessary qualifications and be sure that you are not disqualified. This section sets out the qualifications and disqualifications for standing for election.

For elections taking place on or after 2 May 2024, the Elections Act 2022 has updated the grounds on which you may be disqualified. More information can be found in our guidance on disqualifications.

For elections taking place on or after 7 May 2024, the Elections Act 2022 removes the general right of European Union citizens stand in local government elections. This will mean that in order stand as a candidate at a local government election an EU citizen will be required to be a qualifying EU citizen or an EU citizen with retained rights.

To be able to stand as a candidate at a local government election in England you must: 

• be at least 18 years old1
• For polls up to and including 2 May 2024 - be a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or a citizen of any member state of the European Union2
• For polls on or after 7 May 2024 - be a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, a qualifying EU citizen or an EU citizen with retained rights3
• meet at least one of the following four qualifications:
  • You are, and will continue to be, registered as a local government elector for the local authority area in which you wish to stand from the day of your nomination onwards.4 More information is set out in our guidance on being a registered local government elector.
  • You have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the local authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election.5 More information is set out in our guidance on occupying as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the local authority area.
  • Your main or only place of work during the 12 months prior to the day of your nomination and the day of election has been in the local authority area.6 More information is set out in our guidance on your main or only place of work is in the local authority area.
  • You have lived in the local authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election.7 More information is set out in our guidance on living in the local authority area.

When completing your home address form and consent to nomination form you will be asked to indicate which qualifications you meet. You should indicate on the forms all those qualifications that apply to you.

Meaning of an eligible commonwealth citizen

An eligible Commonwealth citizen is a Commonwealth citizen who either:

• does not need leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom, or
• has indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom
   

Meaning of qualifying EU citizens 

A person is a qualifying EU citizen if they are a citizen of a country with which the UK has a bilateral Voting and Candidacy Rights (VCR) treaty and are resident in the UK with any form of leave to remain, or do not require such leave.  

Currently the UK holds bilateral treaties with the following countries: 

Meaning of EU citizens with retained rights 

A person is an EU citizen with retained rights if they are a citizen of a country with which the UK does not have a bilateral Voting and Candidacy Rights (VCR) treaty but they have been legally resident in the UK since before the UK left the EU on 31/12/2020 (the Implementation Period Completion Date – IPCD) 
The member states of the European Union which do not currently have a bilateral VCR treaty with the UK and are not Commonwealth countries are: 

To be able to use this qualification, your name must appear on the register of local government electors for the local authority area you wish to stand in at the time of your nomination and throughout your term of office should you be elected.1  

Unlike the other qualifications that must only be satisfied on the day of your nomination and on polling day, this is an ongoing qualification. We therefore recommend that if you meet any of the other qualifications as well, you also indicate this on your home address form and consent to nomination, which are two of the required nomination papers.

To be able to use this qualification, you must have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the local authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and before polling day.1

You must occupy 'land or other premises' to meet this qualification. The inclusion of the words 'other premises' can be taken as something other than land (i.e. some form of structure). Because 'land' and 'other premises' are alternatives it is, in theory, possible for a person to meet this qualification by occupying land only. There are some structures that might, arguably, fall outside the term 'premises' (e.g. a tent, caravan, house boat or mobile home). However, a person occupying such a structure need only establish occupancy of the land on which, for example their tent, is located.

If the land or premises crosses a local authority boundary, the land/premises is in that area with respect to both local authorities.

You must also occupy the land or other premises as an 'owner' or 'tenant'. Ownership may be established by showing title to the land or premises in question. Tenancy is established by showing a lease or in certain circumstances another legal interest over the land. In a number of circumstances, a lease will survive even though it has expired and the parties have failed to sign a new lease, and the tenancy survives through tacit agreement between the parties. Therefore, there may be circumstances in which a person's tenancy of land or premises might need to be established by evidence other than a current lease.

You must also have 'occupied' the land or premises. Therefore, in addition to establishing legal ownership or legal tenancy, you must establish that you have actually occupied the land or premises. This is a question of fact in each case. The interpretation of the term 'occupy' in other legal contexts suggests that it is not necessary for a person to be personally resident on the land or premises (which may in any event be covered by the qualification of 'lived in the local authority').

However, it does require something to be actually done on the land or premises – an empty unlocked house cannot be described as 'occupied', for example. It also requires a sufficient degree of control to exclude or prevent others from interfering with the land or premises. If you have sub-let all of your land or premises to another person, this will point against you having 'occupied' it yourself.

Finally, you must have occupied the land or premises 'during the whole of the twelve months preceding' the day on which you are nominated and polling day. Whether an absence will prevent you from claiming that you have occupied the land or premises for the preceding year should be worked out by taking into account all other factors: for instance, whether you have allowed others to occupy the land or premises in your absence, and the reason for your absence.

To be able to use this qualification, your main or only place of work must have been in the local authority area during the 12 months prior to your nomination and prior to polling day itself.1

You do not have to be in paid employment to qualify, as long as you satisfy the requirement of your main or only place of work being in the local authority area. Councillors whose main or only job is being a councillor would be able to use this qualification, provided that their place of work is within the local authority.

To be able to use this qualification, you are not required to have lived at the same address for the whole of the 12 months before the day on which you are nominated, but you must have lived in the same local authority area during the whole of those 12 months.1

If in the last 12 months you have lived at more than one address in the local authority area you should declare on the home address form all of the addresses at which you have lived during that period.

This qualification also requires you to live in the local authority area from the date of nomination to polling day.
 

Apart from meeting the qualifications for standing for election, you must also not be disqualified.

The full range of disqualifications is complex and if you are in any doubt about whether you are disqualified, you must do everything you can to check that you are not disqualified before submitting your nomination papers. 

For polls on or after 2 May 2024

The Elections Act 2022 introduced a disqualification conviction of an intimidatory criminal offence motivated by hostility towards a candidate, future candidate or campaigner or holder of a relevant elective office. This new legislation will be in force for polls held on or after 2 May 2024.

For polls before and after 2 May 2024

You must be sure that you are not disqualified as you will be asked to sign one of the required nomination papers to confirm that you are not disqualified. 

It is a criminal offence to make a false statement on your nomination papers as to your qualification for being elected, so if you are in any doubt you should contact your employer, consult the legislation or, if necessary, take your own independent legal advice.

The Returning Officer will not be able to confirm whether or not you are disqualified.

There are certain people who are disqualified from being elected to a local authority in England. You cannot be a candidate if at the time of your nomination and on polling day: 

• You are employed by the local authority or hold a paid office under the authority (including joint boards or committees).1 Note that you may be ‘employed by the local authority’ if, for example, you work at certain schools, fire services, police or health services. This list is not exhaustive and more information is set out in our guidance: Working for the local authority.
• You hold a politically restricted post.2 More information is set out in our guidance: Politically restricted posts.
• You are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order.3 More information is set out in our guidance: Bankruptcy restrictions or interim orders. 
• You are the mayor for a combined authority area that the local authority is a part of.4 The only exception to this is where the combined authority mayoral election and the election of councillors falls on the same day.5 In that case, you may stand at both contests. However, if you are elected at both, a vacancy in the office of councillor will automatically arise.6
• You have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three months or more (including a suspended sentence), without the option of a fine, during the five years before polling day.7 and the ordinary period allowed for making an appeal or applications in respect of the conviction has passed. A person who is in the process of making an appeal or application in relation to the conviction is not disqualified at any time before the end of the day on which the appeal or application is disposed of, abandoned or fails by reason of non-prosecution.8
• You have been disqualified under the Representation of the People Act 1983 
  • The disqualification for an illegal practice begins from the date a person has been reported guilty by an election court or convicted and lasts for three years. 
  • The disqualification for a corrupt practice begins from the date a person has been reported guilty by an election court or convicted and lasts for five years.9
• You are subject to the notification requirement of or under Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, and the ordinary period allowed for making an appeal or application in respect of the order or notification has passed.10 A disqualification set under s.81A of the Local Government Act 1972 will only apply to a person who is subject to any relevant notification requirements or relevant order made on or after 28 June 2022. A person who is in the process of making an appeal or application in relation to the disqualification is not disqualified at any time before the end of the day on which the appeal or application is disposed of, abandoned or fails by reason of non-prosecution.11
• (For polls on or after 2 May 2024) You have been convicted of an intimidatory criminal offence motivated by hostility towards a candidate, future candidate or campaigner or holder of a relevant elective office.12 The effect of a disqualification order is that the person will be disqualified from standing for, being elected to, and holding any relevant elective office for five years.

A person may be disqualified from being or becoming a member of certain authorities13 following a conviction under the Localism Act 2011.14  
 

You are disqualified from standing as a candidate at elections to a particular local authority if you are a paid officer or employee of that local authority.1 This would be the case where your appointment:

• has been made
• could be made
• has been confirmed by the local authority itself
• has been confirmed by any committee or sub-committee of the local authority
• has been confirmed by any joint committee or National Park authority where the local authority is represented by a person holding such an office or employment

However, the disqualification on the basis of being a paid officer or employee does not apply to the office of chairman, vice-chairman or deputy chairman of the local authority. Some authorities will have executive arrangements which involve a leader and cabinet executive. In those cases, the disqualification will not apply to the office of executive leader or member of the executive.

Local authorities typically have committees and sub-committees. Paid officers of a local authority employed under the direction of such committees or sub-committees are disqualified from standing to that authority. In addition, where such a committee or sub-committee has a member, or members, appointed on the nomination of another local authority, the disqualification will also apply to being elected to the other local authority.

If you are a paid officer of a local authority employed under the direction of a joint board, joint or combined authority, joint waste authority, economic prosperity board or joint committee, you will be disqualified from being elected as a member of all of the authorities that are represented on that body.

Joint boards, committees etc. can include various organisations, such as fire services and education authorities. Therefore, as a general rule, if you work in the local public sector, you should seek advice from your employer’s HR department to help you establish whether the disqualification would apply to you. Sometimes employment relationships can be complex and if this is the case for you, we recommend that you seek your own legal advice.

If you are a teacher (or are a non-teaching member of staff) at a school or other educational institution maintained or assisted by a county council, you may be able to stand at elections to the district council provided you meet the qualifications and are not otherwise disqualified.

The disqualification of working for the local authority applies on both the date of your nomination and on polling day. If you were employed by the local authority, you must have resigned and served any notice period before the date of your nomination to avoid having a contract of employment with the local authority at that time.

If you are an employee of a local authority anywhere in Great Britain you must check that you do not hold a politically restricted post. If you hold a politically restricted post, you are disqualified from standing for election to any county, district or London borough council in England.1 You may, however, stand at parish council elections (provided you are not also employed by the parish council, meet all the qualifications and are not otherwise disqualified).

The posts that are politically restricted are:

• the Head of the Paid Service
• the statutory chief officers (the chief finance officer, chief education officer, chief officer at certain fire brigades or the director of social services)
• non-statutory chief officers (including a person who, as respects all or most of the duties of their post, is required to report directly or is directly responsible to the local authority or any committee or sub-committee of the authority or the head of the authority’s paid service)
• deputy chief officers (a person who, as respects all or most of the duties of their post, is required to report directly or is directly accountable to one or more of the chief officers)
• the monitoring officer 
• officers exercising delegated powers
• assistants to political groups
• a sensitive post which meets one or both of the following duties-related criteria:
  1. giving advice on a regular basis to the authority (including committees, sub-committees and joint committees on which the authority is represented)
  2. speaking on behalf of the authority on a regular basis to journalists or broadcasters

You should check with the HR department of your employer if you are not sure whether you hold a politically restricted post.
 

Bankruptcy in itself is not a disqualification. If you have been adjudged bankrupt by a court in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you are not disqualified on that basis. However, you are disqualified if you are currently subject to any of the following:1

• an interim bankruptcy restrictions order
• a bankruptcy restrictions order
• an interim debt relief restrictions order
• a debt relief restrictions order made by a court in England or Wales. If the order was made in Northern Ireland, you should take your own legal advice since the law is complex in this area.

While you may submit nomination papers for more than one ward, you cannot stand for election in more than one ward within the same local authority after the deadline for withdrawals.1
 
If the Returning Officer accepts your nomination papers and you are validly nominated in more than one ward within the same local authority, you must withdraw from all wards but one by 4pm on the nineteenth working day before the poll. If you do not, then you will be deemed to have withdrawn from all of the wards.2
  
More details can be found in our guidance on nominations.

The election agent is the person responsible for the proper management of your election campaign and in particular for its financial management. You must have an election agent. If you do not appoint an agent, you will become your own agent by default.1

Once appointed, payments for election expenses can only be made by or through the election agent.2  For more information see our guidance on candidate spending.

You can also appoint other agents to observe the following electoral processes, which both you and your election agent are also entitled to observe:3

• the opening of postal votes 
• the poll
• the count

There are no particular qualifications needed to be an election agent and you can be your own agent if you wish.

However, the following people are not allowed to be election agents:1

• the Returning Officer or a member of their staff
• a partner or clerk of the Returning Officer or a member of their staff
• anyone not entitled to vote at the election as a result of the report of an election court or a conviction for a corrupt or illegal practice under the Representation of the People Act 1983
   

Because of the responsibilities attached to the role of an election agent you should consider carefully who you are going to appoint and make sure that they understand their obligations. You can be your own agent if you wish.

You, or someone on your behalf, must declare in writing the name, address and office address of your election agent to the Returning Officer by 4pm on the 19th working day before the poll.1 The declaration should be signed by you (or the person making the declaration on your behalf) and by the agent to show their acceptance of the appointment. The original signed version must be submitted in person or by post, but may not be submitted by fax, e-mail or other electronic means.

It is helpful to also provide a contact telephone number and email address for your election agent so that the Returning Officer can easily contact them.

The Returning Officer may provide a declaration form, or you could use the election agent declaration form produced by the Commission. If you do not appoint someone else as your agent by the deadline, you will automatically become your own agent.2
 

Your agent must have an office address to which any legal notices can be delivered and therefore must be a physical address – PO boxes or similar mailboxes cannot be used.3

Your agent's office address must be:4

• within the same local government area where the election is being held, or
• within the UK Parliamentary constituency or one of the constituencies included in the local government area, or
• in a Welsh county borough which adjoins the local government area, or
• in a London borough or district which adjoins the local government area

The local government area for a unitary authority is the unitary area. For a county, district or borough it is the area of that county, district or borough.

The agent's office address will often be their home address, but it could be an office set up for the election. 

If you act as your own election agent, unless you provide an office address, your home address as provided on the home address form will be published on the notice of election agents.5 If that address is outside the permitted area, the office address is deemed to be the address of your proposer (i.e. the first subscriber on your nomination form).

This is the case even where you have chosen to withhold your home address from the statement of persons nominated and ballot paper.

If an agent dies or becomes incapable of acting, you may appoint another agent in their place by submitting the relevant appointment form to the Returning Officer.6 Any new appointment in these circumstances must be made without delay.

You can revoke the appointment of your election agent at any time, including after polling day, and a new appointment can be made in the same manner as outlined in appointing an election agent.1 If you revoke your election agent’s appointment and do not appoint anyone else, you will be deemed to be your own election agent.

If you are acting as your own agent, you can revoke your own appointment and appoint someone else as your agent.

Once an agent has accepted their appointment, they cannot resign and must fulfil the duties required of them unless you revoke their appointment.

The following section provides guidance on candidate spending at local government elections in England.

This guidance covers:

• how much you can spend in the lead up to the election
• which activities count as candidate spending
• what records you must keep
• how to account for different types of spending

The election agent has the main responsibility for complying with these laws, even if they appoint a sub-agent to help you with your expenses. However, candidates should be fully aware of the laws as both the candidate and agent must declare that the spending return is complete and accurate to the best of their knowledge and belief.1

See Who is responsible for candidate spending? for more information about the responsibilities of the agent and candidate.

We call the time when the spending laws apply the ‘regulated period’.

The regulated period

The regulated period for the 2024 local government elections in England begins on the day after the date you officially become a candidate and ends on polling day, 2 May 2024.1

When does a person officially become a candidate?

The earliest date you can officially become a candidate is the last date for publication of the notice of election, which will be Tuesday 26 March 2024.2

You will become a candidate on this date if you or others have already announced your intention to stand.3  For example, your party may have issued a press release when you were selected, or you might have mentioned your intention at a residents’ meeting.

If your intention to stand has not been announced by 26 March 2024, you will officially become a candidate on the earlier of:

• the date your intention to stand is announced
• the date when you submit your nomination papers4

This must be prior to the close of nominations, which is 4pm on Friday 5 April 2024.5

There are rules to make sure that spending can be controlled and accurately recorded and reported.

It is your responsibility to fully and accurately report candidate spending. You should ensure you understand the rules and that all spending is properly authorised, recorded and reported.

Once an agent is appointed, only the following people are allowed to incur election spending:

• the agent
• the candidate, and
• anyone authorised by the candidate or agent

By ‘incur’ we mean making a legal commitment to spend the money. If you authorise someone to incur candidate spending, you must do so in writing and be clear how much they can spend and on what.1

The agent rather than the candidate must make payments for most candidate spending.2  There are four exceptions:

• the candidate can pay for items before the agent is appointed3
• the candidate can pay for personal expenses for travel and accommodation4
• the agent can authorise in writing someone to pay for minor expenses such as stationery or postage. The authorisation must include the amount of the payment.5
• the agent can give written authorisation for someone to incur spending on behalf of the candidate so that the spending does not count towards that person’s ‘permitted sum’ on campaigning for the candidate (see Local campaigning).6  The person authorised to incur the spending is also able to make the payments for that spending.7

If any payments are made by anyone other than the candidate, agent or sub-agent – for example by a person authorised in writing to incur spending – then this will be a donation to the candidate if it is over £50 (and it is not reimbursed by the agent).8  See Candidate donations for more on donations.

Candidates can also act as their own election agents.9  You should make sure that your volunteers and campaigners are aware of these rules and know who can and cannot incur or pay costs.

The spending limit for the regulated period is £960, plus 8p per local government elector in the ward registered to vote on the last day for publication of the notice of election in the ward which you are standing for.1

Your local electoral registration officer will be able to give you the number of registered electors in the local authority in which you are standing.

Spending limits for ‘joint candidates’

You are a joint candidate if you stand in the same ward and one of the following conditions applies:

• you have the same election agent 
• you use the same campaign rooms
• you publish joint material2

However, using the same campaign rooms by accident or coincidence is not in itself enough to make candidates joint candidates.3

Joint candidates have lower spending limits, as they are sharing some of the costs. You should calculate your spending limit as explained above, and then reduce it by:

If you are not sure if you are a joint candidate, please contact us.

During the regulated period, spending on any of the following activities will count as candidate spending if the activity promotes the candidate:

• advertising of any kind.1  For example, posters, newspaper adverts, websites, or videos
• unsolicited material sent to voters.2  For example, letters, leaflets, or emails you send that aren’t in response to specific queries
• transport costs.3  For example, hire cars or public transport for your campaigners
• public meetings.4  For example, reimbursing expenses of attendees, hiring premises and paying for goods, services or facilities for a public meeting
• staff costs.5  For example, an agent’s salary, or staff seconded to you by their employer. You do not need to include time spent on your campaign by volunteers
• accommodation.6  For example, your campaign office
• administrative costs.7  For example, telephone bills, stationery, photocopying and the use of databases

This includes:

• all costs associated with an activity. For example, if you are producing leaflets or advertising, you must include the design and distribution costs
• items or services bought before the regulated period that you use during the regulated period
• some items or services given to you free of charge or at a discount that you make use of during the regulated period. See Notional spending for more information.

This spending must be reported in your spending return after the election. More details on each category are given on the following pages.

• costs that are reasonably attributable to the candidate’s disability1
• anything (except adverts) appearing in a newspaper, periodical or on a licensed broadcast channel2
• facilities you use because you are entitled to do so as a candidate, such as a public room for a meeting3
• volunteer time including time spent by your staff that you do not pay them for4
• use of someone’s main residence, provided free of charge5
• use of someone’s personal car or other means of transport, acquired principally for that person’s personal use and provided free of charge6
• use of someone’s computing or printing equipment acquired principally for that person’s personal use and provided free of charge7
• reasonable expenses attributable to the protection of persons or property, for example hiring security, using a PO Box to avoid publicising a home or office address on imprints, or purchasing antivirus software for protecting campaign computers8

Personal expenses include the reasonable travel and living expenses (such as hotel costs) of the candidate.1  Personal expenses do not count towards the spending limit but you must report them on your spending return.2

Personal expenses may include car hire for the candidate if the candidate does not already own a car, or if their car is not suitable for campaigning. For example, if you are standing in a rural electoral area, it may be reasonable to hire a four-wheel drive vehicle to access remote areas.

Candidates must provide a written statement of their personal expenses to their agent within 21 days of the result being declared.3

In some instances, people spend money to promote a candidate without providing  or transferring something for the candidate’s use or benefit during the campaign. Likewise, people may spend money to criticise a candidate or encourage voters not to support them.

Organisations or individuals, who are not standing as candidates at the elections,  who campaign for or against a candidate in a ward are known as ‘local non-party campaigners’. This is also known as spending under section 75 of the Representation of the People Act 1983.

Local non-party campaigners can spend up to £50 + 0.5p per elector campaigning for or against a candidate in the ward. This is the permitted sum. The  number of electors is the number of local government electors registered to vote on the last day for publication of the notice of election in the ward.1  It applies once the candidate is officially a candidate (see When do you officially become a candidate?).

A local non-party campaigner cannot spend more than this permitted sum without the agent’s written authorisation to incur the additional spending, which will count towards the candidate’s spending limit.2

If a local non-party campaigner incurs spending over the permitted sum, then this additional spending must be reported by them to the Returning Officer within 21 days of the result being declared.3  There is a separate return and declaration that must be completed for the local non-party campaigner to report authorised expenses.

The authorised expenses must also be included in the candidate’s spending return.4  Money that is incurred by campaigners in local campaigns that has been authorised by the agent is candidate spending and counts towards the spending limit.5

The authorised expenses may also be paid by the person authorised to incur them.6  If they do make the payments, and the spending is over £50, then this will be a donation to the candidate and must be reported in the spending return.7

See Making payments for candidate spending and Candidate donations for more information.

Non-party campaigners planning a local campaign should read our guidance for local non-party campaigners.

Local campaigning by parties

Parties must also be aware that  any spending by the party on local campaigning for one of their candidates that is not authorised by the agent, will count as party spending.8  At elections covered by a party regulated period, this spending must be included in the party's spending return.9     

By law there must be a UK Parliamentary general election by 28 January 2025. This means that it is likely that campaigning at the elections in May 2024 will be covered by a party regulated period.

In contrast, any authorised expenses will only need to appear in the local campaigning forms and candidate spending return as above.

Sometimes, you may need to split your costs between activities that count as candidate spending and those that don’t.

For example, between:

• items used both before and during the regulated period
• your campaign spending and other activities such as an office that you share with your local party
• items used to promote two candidates standing together in the same ward

In all cases you should make an honest assessment, based on the facts, of the proportion of expenditure that can fairly be attributed to your candidate spending.

For example, if you are sharing a party office, the telephone bill may only provide a breakdown of the cost of calls over a certain value.

In these cases, you should consider the best way of making an honest assessment on the information you have. For example, you could compare the bill with one that does not cover a regulated period.  

It is your responsibility to report your candidate spending fully and accurately. You should ensure you understand the rules and that all spending is properly authorised, recorded, and reported.

After the election, you will have to sign a declaration to declare that it is complete and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief.1

It is an offence to knowingly make a false declaration.2

If you are still not sure, call or email us for advice.

For each activity that you have established is candidate spending, you must remember to work out what type of spending it is, so you know how to report it:

• ordinary spending incurred by the candidate or agent
• notional spending
• local campaigning

If an item or service is provided to and made use of by or on behalf of the candidate, then the relevant proportion of the cost of targeting the candidate’s electoral area is likely to be reportable as notional spending, if it meets the tests.

If it is not done by the candidate or agent and not provided to and made use of by or on behalf of the candidate, it will count as local campaigning for the candidate.

The following examples illustrate first determining whether the spending promotes the candidate, and then determining how it must be reported.

After the election, the candidate must provide a written statement of their personal expenses to their agent within 21 days of the result being declared.1

The agent must meet deadlines for:

• receiving and paying invoices
• sending the spending and donations return to the local returning officer

Both the agent and the candidate must also submit declarations that the return is complete and accurate.2

You must still submit the return and declarations even if you haven’t spent any money.3  This is called a ‘nil return’.

You can find these deadlines, and more information on reporting, in After the election.

The following section provides guidance on candidate donations at local government elections in England.

This guidance covers:

• what counts as a donation
• who you can accept donations from
• the checks you need to make on different types of donors
• how to value different types of donations
• best practices for crowdfunding donations
• the information you need to record

• Encourage people who are not on the electoral register to apply for registration. The deadline for registering to vote in time for an election is 12 working days before the poll.1 Individuals can register online at https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
   
• Remind voters who wish to vote in person that they will be required to produce an accepted form of photographic ID to prove their identity before they will be issued with a ballot paper. Where an individual does not have or does not wish to use an accepted form of photographic ID, they can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. For more information on the accepted forms of photographic ID and Voter Authority Certificates see our guidance for polling day.
   
• Help voters with information about postal and proxy voting and encourage voters to apply online at https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote or https://www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote. The deadline for applying for a postal vote for the election is 5pm, 11 working days before the poll.2 The deadline for applying for a proxy vote for the election is 5pm, 6 working days before the poll,3 although in some circumstances electors may apply for an emergency proxy up to 5pm on polling day.4 An elector can apply for an emergency proxy if, after 5pm, 6 working days before the poll, they have had a medical emergency, they have been called away on business, or the photographic ID that they intended to use in the polling station becomes unavailable and they do not have alternative form of accepted photographic ID.
   
• Find more information about who can register to vote and postal and proxy voting on our website https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter
   

• make sure any application forms you develop include all the required information, otherwise the applications will be rejected. In particular, you must make sure that the signature and date of birth fields on postal and proxy application forms are in the correct format and that there is a field for applicants to include their National Insurance number. You should use our absent voting application forms as a guide and you should liaise with the ERO who may be able to provide you with forms you can use. To help ensure that voters applications are received and processed as quickly as possible, you can also let them know that they can apply for an absent vote online https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote or https://www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote. 
   
• inform voters to return their completed application forms to the ERO as soon as possible. Campaigners should not collect completed paper applications from voters and should not ask voters to send completed applications to campaigners’ addresses. 
   
• Never handle or take any completed ballot paper or postal ballot pack from voters.
   
• Make sure your supporters follow the Code of conduct for campaigners in Great Britain – this will help them to avoid situations where their honesty or integrity could be questioned.
   
• Make sure your supporters are courteous when dealing with other candidates and their supporters.
   
• Be aware of the deadlines for appointing an election agent, and agents to attend postal vote opening sessions, polling stations and the count. Deadlines are set out in our guidance for postal voting, polling day and the verification and count.
   
• Check our guidance on how postal vote openings, the voting process and the count will work so that you know what you can expect to happen.
   
• Check that your systems for recording spending and donations are working. For more information see our guidance on donations  and election spending.

• Knowingly make a false statement about the personal character of a candidate1
• Pay canvassers.2 Canvassing means trying to persuade an elector to vote for or against a particular candidate or party.

More information on election offences and how to report these can be found in our guidance on offences.

If either you or your election agent have made a mistake and have acted in contravention of the rules, you can apply for relief from the consequences of having made a mistake. See our guidance on what to do if you have made a mistake for more information.

For polls on or after 2 May 2024

The Elections Act 2022 introduced legislation which restricts the handling of postal voting documents by campaigners. The legislation will be in force for polls held on or after 2 May 2024.
 
You will need to make sure your supporters are aware that it is an offence to handle completed ballot papers or postal ballot packs for voters who are not close family or someone they care for and to follow the Code of conduct for campaigners in Great Britain this will help them to avoid situations where their honesty or integrity could be questioned.

You must:

• Use imprints on all your printed campaign material and any electronic campaign material that is designed to be printed off locally.1 You should ensure the imprint is clear and visible. See our guidance on using imprints for more information.
• Comply with planning rules relating to advertising hoardings and large banners2 – you should ask the relevant local authority for advice.
• Make sure that outdoor posters are removed promptly after the election – you must do this within two weeks of the election.

You should:

• Include an imprint on all non-printed campaign material, including websites.
• Consider how to make your campaign accessible to all voters  - for example disabled voters or voters whose first language isn't English, may need campaign material provided in a particular format. You may want to make contact with disability groups in your local area for advice.

You must not:

• Produce material that looks like the poll cards sent to voters.3
• Pay people to display your adverts (unless they display adverts as part of their normal business).4

Once you officially become a candidate you are entitled to receive a free copy of the electoral register.1 You are also entitled to the lists of people voting by post or proxy (‘the lists of absent voters’) for the ward that you are contesting.

Registered political parties are entitled to receive a copy of the electoral register at any time.

There are two registers

Using information received from the public, registration officers keep two registers:

The electoral register 

The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote in public elections. The register is used for electoral purposes, such as making sure only eligible people can vote. It is also used for other limited purposes specified in law, such as detecting crime (e.g. fraud), calling people for jury service, checking credit applications.

The open register (also known as the edited register)

The open register is an extract of the electoral register, but is not used for elections. It can be bought by any person, company or organisation. For example, it is used by businesses and charities to confirm name and address details. Electors can request not to have their name and address included in the open register. 
 

The electoral register and lists of absent voters contain people’s personal data and so their use is very carefully controlled.

You can use them to: 

• complete your nomination form
• help you campaign
• check that donations are permissible

You must not release to any person any details that appear only in the electoral register and not on the open register which is available for general sale. You must not use the electoral register and lists of absent voters for any other purpose not listed above.1

If you have supplied a copy of the electoral register or lists of absent voters to campaign workers, they must also comply with the requirements above.

You must ensure that you keep both the electoral register and the lists of absent voters secure.2 Once you no longer need the register and lists of absent voters for any electoral purpose, you should securely destroy any copies supplied to you as a candidate in accordance with the Information Commissioner’s guidelines.

Copies of the electoral register and lists of absent voters can be obtained from the Electoral Registration Officer. You can find their contact details on our website.

The request must be made in writing1 and we have made a register request form and an absent voters’ lists request form available for this purpose.

The register and lists will be supplied in electronic format unless you specifically request a paper copy.

The version of the electoral register and lists supplied will be the ones current at the time of your request. You may also request the updates to the electoral registers and lists that are published in the lead-up to the poll, including the list of newly registered electors when it is published five working days before the poll.

Any person found breaching the restrictions on use of the electoral register could face an unlimited fine. For more information see our guidance on restrictions on the use of the electoral register.

You may want to engage with the public at public meetings, promoting your views and responding to questions from the audience.

The ERO keeps a list of the location and availability of meeting rooms in their area. They will make this list available for inspection by candidates and election agents (and persons authorised by them) from the day the notice of election is published. Contact details for EROs can be found on our website.

Once you are a candidate you will be able to use available public rooms up until the day before polling day.1

You should contact the owner of the premises to make a booking, giving reasonable notice to reduce the risk of the request being refused.

There is no hire charge for using these rooms, but you must pay for any expenses incurred, such as heating, lighting and cleaning, and for any damage to the premises.

Your right to use the room does not include hours during which a school is used for educational purposes or when any prior letting of a room has been agreed.

Candidates are one of the key public faces of the election, and your conduct will be scrutinised in detail by opponents, the media and voters.

Voters should be able to trust that candidates will comply with the law and maintain the integrity of the election process.

Election agents are responsible for your campaign and are legally responsible for its financial management.

You should also make sure that your supporters fully understand the law and know what they need to do to ensure that voters can participate freely in this election.

The police can only investigate allegations of electoral fraud where there is evidence to show that an offence has taken place. Claims or allegations should always be substantiated when referred to the police.

You should also consider the impact on public trust and confidence of making false or unsubstantiated allegations about the conduct of other campaigners.

Neither the Returning Officer nor the Commission regulate these offences. For details of how to report any allegations see our guidance on reporting allegations of electoral fraud.

The following table shows a number of electoral and non-electoral offences of which you should be aware. You should seek your own legal advice where necessary.

For polls on or after 2 May 2024

The Elections Act 2022 introduced legislation which made changes to some electoral offences. The table below highlights the offences that will change when the legislation is in force for polls held on or after 2 May 2024.
 

If you are concerned that electoral fraud may have been committed, you should first speak to the Electoral Registration Officer or the Returning Officer.

They may be able to explain whether or not electoral fraud has been committed, and can refer your concerns to the police if necessary. They can also provide you with the details of the police contact for the relevant police force so that you can report the allegation yourself.

If you have evidence that an electoral offence has been committed you should contact the police immediately, using the 101 non-emergency number unless there is a crime in progress, in which case you should use the standard 999 emergency line.

Every police force has a dedicated Single Point of Contact Officer who will be able to provide advice to ensure that your allegations are properly investigated. You should be prepared to give them a statement and substantiate your allegation.

If you do not want to give a statement to the police, you can report your concerns anonymously on the Crimestoppers website or by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

You can find contact details of Electoral Registration Officers and Returning Officers on our website.

Please note that if your allegation relates to party, election or registered campaigner finance matters, such as spending or donations, then you should follow the advice given on our website.

The following sections provide guidance on standing as a candidate at a district, borough, county, or unitary authority election in England.1

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.

To become nominated as a candidate at a local government election in England, you need to submit a completed set of nomination papers to the place fixed by the Returning Officer (RO) 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
 
There are three nomination papers that you must submit to make your nomination valid:3

• the nomination form
• a home address form
• your consent to nomination

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 it is clearly a sham, for example 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

Your name and description (if you choose to use one) should be written on the nomination form before you ask subscribers to sign the form.

The nomination form must be completed in English.

The form must contain:

 Your full name1

• This means your surname and other names in full. 
• Using initials only could lead to your nomination paper being rejected. 
• Do not use prefixes such as Mr, Mrs, Dr or Cllr as part of your name. 
• The same applies to suffixes. However, if you have a title, you can use this as your full name. For example, if your actual name is Joseph Smith but your hereditary title is Joseph Avon, you can use the name Joseph Avon as your full name. 

Signatures of two registered electors2

• Also known as subscribers from the ward.
• Your subscribers must be on the local government electoral register, in the ward you are planning to contest, that is in force on 25 working days before the poll. For more information on see our guidance on subscribers.

Description

You can also choose to use a description on your nomination paper.  The type of description you can use depends on whether you are an independent or party candidate.

You do not have to use a description. If you choose not to use a description, you can leave the description field of the nomination form blank.

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 Returning Officer (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.

Each nomination form needs to be signed (subscribed) by two electors, who are on the local government electoral register in the ward you are planning to contest.

The electors must be of voting age by polling day and be on the register that is in force on the last day for publication of notice of election.1

Each elector may not subscribe more nomination forms than there are vacancies.2
 
For example, if there are two vacancies in a ward, an elector may subscribe up to two candidates' nomination forms in that ward; if three candidates submit nomination forms subscribed by the same person, the two that were submitted first will be accepted, but the third will be invalid.

You should therefore always enquire, before asking a subscriber to sign your form, if they have already signed someone else's.

If a nomination form contains more than two subscribers’ signatures, only the first two will be accepted.3 If either of the first two subscribers are invalid, the Returning Officer (RO) must hold the nomination form invalid, regardless of whether the form contains more than two.

There is nothing to prevent you from subscribing your own nomination providing that you are registered in the relevant ward.

There may be some electors on the register who have registered anonymously because of risks to their safety.

Anonymously registered electors may not subscribe nomination forms.

Anonymous electors are shown on the register with just their poll number and the letter 'N' (rather than with their name and address).

Nomination forms should not be altered once they are subscribed. All of your details should be completed before you invite anyone to subscribe your nomination. Once the RO has formally accepted a nomination form, signatures cannot be withdrawn.

The elector number

The elector number of each subscriber, as it appears on the electoral register, must be entered on the nomination form.4 The elector number includes the distinctive numbers or letters of the polling district, which can usually be found at the front of the register.

Both the RO and Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) will be able to advise you how the register is laid out.

You will be entitled to a free copy of the electoral register for the ward you are contesting.5

You should use it to ensure that your nomination form is properly subscribed.

In line with data protection legislation and the electoral provision under which you have obtained the register, you must ensure that you keep the electoral register secure and, once you have finished with it, ensure that it is securely destroyed.

Data protection considerations

When collecting subscriber information, you should point out what the information will be used for and how personal data will be processed and kept secure. The lawful basis to collect the information in this form is that it is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest and exercise of official authority as set out in Representation of the People Act 1983 and associated regulations.

You should also explain that the information will be shared with RO. For further information on data protection and processing you should refer to the RO’s privacy notice on their website.

Data protection legislation applies to the processing of all personal data. Please contact the Information Commissioner’s Office for further information about how the current data protection legislation may affect you as a candidate.

You must formally consent to your nomination in writing.1

The content of the consent to nomination form is fixed by law and you must return the entire form in order for your nomination to be valid.

On the form you will be asked to state that you are qualified and not disqualified from standing.

You must meet at least one of the qualifications to stand for election. On the consent to nomination form you should state as many of the qualifications as apply.

You must also state your date of birth.

You are not allowed to sign the consent form earlier than one calendar month before the deadline for submitting your nomination papers.2

Your signature must be witnessed and the witness must attest the form.3

The witness’s full name and home address in full must be provided on the home address form.

There are no restrictions on who can be a witness to the consent to nomination.4

The home address form must state:1

• your full name
• your home address in full
• your qualifying address, or, where you have declared on your consent to nomination that you meet more than one qualification, your qualifying addresses
• which of the qualifications your qualifying address or addresses relate to
• the full name and the home address in full of the witness to your consent to nomination form

Your home address:

• must be completed in full
• must not contain abbreviations
• must be your current home address 
• must not be a business address (unless you run a business from your home)

The qualifying address

Where you have selected one of the following options on the consent to nomination, you must state:

• option (a) on the consent to nomination - the address in full where you are registered as a local government elector
• option (b) on the consent to nomination - a description and the address of that land or premises which you have occupied as owner or tenant
• option (c) on the consent to nomination - the address of your place of work
• option (d) on the consent to nomination - the address or addresses in full of where you have resided

Choosing not to publish your home address

You may choose for your home address not to be published on the statement of persons nominated or the ballot paper.

In this case the home address form must contain, as well as your full name and home address:

• a statement, signed by you, which states that you require your home address not to be made public
• the name of the relevant area in which your home address is situated (if your home address is in the UK)
• if you live outside the UK, the name of the country in which your home address is situated

If you act as your own election agent, unless you provide an office address, your home address as provided on the home address form will still be published on the notice of election agents.2 This is the case even where you have chosen to withhold your home address from the statement of persons nominated and ballot paper.

What is the relevant area?

The relevant area means:

• For home addresses in England:
  • if the address is within a district for which there is a district council, that district;
  • if the address is within a county in which there are no districts with councils, that county;
  • if the address is within a London borough, that London borough;
  • if the address is within the City of London (including the Inner and Middle Temples), the City of London; and
  • if the address is within the Isles of Scilly, the Isles of Scilly
• For home addresses in Wales:
  • if the address is within a county, that county;
  • if the address is within a county borough, that county borough
• For home addresses in Scotland:
  • the local government area in which the address is situated
• For home addresses in Northern Ireland:
  • the local government district in which the address is situated

This section provides specific information for candidates standing on behalf of a political party on the additional information required to be submitted as part of their nomination papers.

To stand on behalf of a registered political party, the party must be registered on the Commission’s register of political parties and be listed as allowed to field candidates in England. You will also need to submit a certificate of authorisation to be able to stand on behalf of that party. If you also wish to use an emblem of the party, you will also need to submit an emblem request form as part of your nomination. 
 

Political parties authorise candidates to stand for them by issuing a certificate of authorisation. This must state that the named candidate can stand on their behalf and allow them to use one of the following:1

• the exact party name as registered with the Commission
• one of the party’s registered descriptions
• your choice of either the registered party name or one of the registered descriptions.

Particular care should be taken by the Nominating Officer (or someone authorised to act on their behalf) when completing the certificate of authorisation. If the certificate explicitly authorises a particular party name/description and this does not match the party name/description on the nomination paper, the whole nomination will be invalid.2
 
The certificate of authorisation must be signed by the registered Nominating Officer of the political party or by someone authorised by the Nominating Officer to act on their behalf3 and must be received to the Returning Officer by the nominations deadline, 4pm, 19 working days before the poll.4
  
If you are standing on behalf of two or more parties, you will need a certificate of authorisation from the Nominating Officer of each of the registered parties (or people authorised to act on their behalf).5 Joint descriptions are listed on the Commission’s register of political parties on the registration page for the relevant parties.

If you have been authorised by a political party to use the party name or a registered description on the ballot paper, you can also request that one of the party's official emblems is printed on the ballot paper next to your name.1

You must make the request for an emblem in writing and deliver it to the Returning Officer (RO).2 The request must be received by the RO by 4pm, 19 working days before the poll.3
 
A party can register up to three emblems. You may want to check with your party (e.g. the nominating officer or someone authorised to act on their behalf) which emblem to use. Make sure you request a current emblem.

Candidates standing on behalf of two or more registered parties and using a joint description can use an emblem that has been registered by one of the relevant parties.4 The request must be made in writing and delivered to the RO by the close of nominations, i.e. 4pm, 19 working days before the poll.5 The RO will supply you with a form you can use to make this request or, alternatively, you can use the emblem request form produced by the Commission.

The request should state both the name of the political party and the description of the emblem to be used, as listed on the Commission’s online register of political parties. Registered emblems cannot be varied in any way. 

It is your responsibility to ensure that your nomination papers, including the home address form and the consent to nomination, and where you are standing on behalf of a party, the certificate of authorisation and emblem request form, are delivered to the place specified on the notice of election by 4pm, 19 working days before the poll.1 If you are appointing an election agent, you will also need to submit their appointment form by this deadline.

We recommend that you, your agent, or someone you trust delivers them, so you can be sure they are delivered to the Returning Officer (RO) in time.

You should contact the RO as soon as possible to find out what arrangements are in place for submitting nomination papers. You will be able to contact the RO via your local elections office. Contact details can be obtained from our website.

The nomination form, the home address form and consent to nomination must be delivered by hand and cannot be submitted by post, e-mail or other electronic means.1
 
The certificate of authorisation and the emblem request form may be submitted by post, but may not be submitted by fax, email or other electronic means.2

The original version of each completed paper must be submitted.3

For example, a certificate of authorisation which has been sent as an attachment to an email to be printed out would make it a ‘copy document’ and not the original document.

You should submit your nomination papers as early as possible to give you sufficient time to submit new nomination papers should your first set contain any errors.

Usually, nomination papers can only be delivered during normal office hours. The RO will confirm the exact details of when and where they can be delivered on the notice of election.

The notice of election will be published no later than 25 working days before the poll and will state the earliest date on which you can submit nomination papers.1

In most cases, the notice of election will be published on the local authority's website.

After you have submitted your nomination papers you will be sent a notice by the RO to let you know whether or not your nomination is valid.2

If, after you have submitted your nomination papers you change your mind and no longer want to stand for election, you can withdraw, provided you do so by 4pm, 19 working days before the poll.

You may withdraw as a candidate by signing and submitting a withdrawal notice, which must be witnessed by one other person.1 There are no restrictions on who may submit the notice, but it must be delivered by hand. Your witness must also sign the notice. You can obtain a notice of withdrawal  from the local Returning Officer (RO) or download it from our website.
 

If you are outside the UK and want to withdraw, your proposer can sign the withdrawal notice on your behalf. The withdrawal must be accompanied by a written declaration signed by your proposer confirming your absence.

If you are outside the UK and stand nominated by more than one nomination form, you should speak to the RO if you wish to withdraw as special rules apply in this instance.

The withdrawal notice must be submitted by the deadline for withdrawals (i.e. by 4pm on 19 working days before the poll).  

After the withdrawal deadline it is not possible to withdraw from the election, and your name will appear on the ballot paper. If the election is uncontested, you will be declared elected.

If you are validly nominated in more than one ward within the same local authority, you must withdraw from all wards but one before the deadline for withdrawals (i.e. by 4pm, 19 working days before the poll). 

If you do not withdraw from all but one ward, you will be deemed to have withdrawn from all of the wards.1

The RO will publish a statement of persons nominated for each ward by 4pm, 18 working days before the poll.1

The statement will include:2

• the full or commonly used names, as the case may be, of all candidates validly nominated
• the names of candidates who no longer stand nominated, if any (i.e. invalid and withdrawn candidates), with the reason why they are no longer standing
•  the address of each candidate, or if they have requested not to make their home address public, the name of the relevant area in which their home address is situated (or the country if their home address is situated outside the UK)
• each candidate's description (if any)

Nomination forms and consent to nomination forms that have been delivered to the Returning Officer (RO) are open to inspection by anyone from the close of nominations until the day before the poll. Inspections take place during normal office hours, and anyone inspecting these forms can take a copy of them.1

Inspecting the home address form2

Only certain people are entitled to inspect home address forms. These people are:

• any (other) person standing nominated as a candidate in the same electoral area as you
• the election agent of any other person standing nominated as a candidate in the same electoral area as you - (or, if the candidate is acting as their own agent, any person nominated by them)
• the proposer or seconder of any other person standing nominated as a candidate in the same electoral area as you

Inspections of the home address form can take place during normal office hours from the close of nominations until the day before the poll, however, no-one is permitted to take an extract from them or make a copy of them.

If there are more candidates than there are seats in the ward after the deadline for withdrawals, then after the close of nominations there will be a poll.1 If, however, after the deadline for withdrawals the number of validly nominated candidates in a ward is less than or equal to the number of seats to be filled, those candidates are declared to be elected.2

In this case, the Returning Officer will declare those candidates to be elected as soon as possible and will give public notice of the names of those declared elected.

Even if the election is uncontested, elected candidates must still make a declaration as to their election spending. You can find more information in our guidance about submitting spending returns and taking up office.

If the Returning Officer (RO) is notified of a candidate’s death during the election campaign or even on polling day itself (but before the declaration of the result), the poll will be cancelled.1

The RO will in that case order a new election to fill the vacancy. The new polling day will be within 35 working days of the day fixed for the first election. 2

Candidates already validly nominated do not have to be nominated a second time.3

Should a fellow candidate die during the campaign, the RO will provide you with further guidance.

If an already elected candidate dies after the declaration of the result, a by-election would be needed to fill the vacancy.

Information about the death of an agent can be found in our guidance on appointing an election agent.
 

The following can apply to vote by post in local elections by submitting an application to their Electoral Registration Officer:

• A person aged 18 or over who is registered to vote
• A person aged 18 or over who or has applied to be registered to vote
• A person who has been appointed to vote as a proxy on behalf of someone else

The application must be received by the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm, 11 working days before the poll.1

The Electoral Registration Officer has no discretion to extend the deadline for whatever reason.

Postal ballot packs will be sent to electors from around two weeks before polling day.
 
Electors who registered close to the registration deadline will be issued with their postal ballot packs once their names have been added to the final register update on the fifth working day before the poll.  Electors who applied for their postal vote close to the application deadline will be issued with their postal ballot packs once their application has been determined.

Electors will then mark their ballot paper, complete the postal voting statement by providing their signature and date of birth, and return them to the Returning Officer before the close of poll (i.e. 10pm on polling day).
 

Postal ballot packs contain the following: 

• Envelope A is the envelope that the elector returns their ballot paper in. It is marked with the letter ‘A’ and the words ‘ballot paper envelope’
• Envelope B is the envelope that the elector will use to return the ballot paper envelope and the postal voting statement. It is marked with the letter ‘B’ and the address of the Returning Officer
• The postal voting statement contains the elector’s name, the number of the ballot paper issued to them, instructions on how to vote by post and space for the elector to sign and provide their date of birth
• The ballot paper

If the election is combined with another poll, the Returning Officer may have decided to combine the issue of postal votes.

In that case, the postal ballot pack will also contain the ballot paper for the other electoral event(s).
 

Who can attend the opening of postal votes?

Candidates, election agents and postal voting agents are not entitled to attend the issue of postal votes.

The following people are entitled to attend the opening of returned postal votes:

• you
• your election agent or a person appointed by you to attend in their place.1  
• agents you have appointed to attend openings on your behalf.2

For details on how to appoint these agents see our guidance on appointing postal voting agents.

Duty to maintain secrecy during postal vote opening sessions

Ballot papers will be kept face down throughout a postal vote opening session.3 Anyone attending an opening session has a duty to maintain secrecy and must not:

• obtain 
• attempt to obtain 
• communicate at any time to another person
  • any information relating to the number or other unique identifying mark on the back of a ballot paper4
  • any information as to the official mark on a postal ballot paper before the close of poll5
• disclose how any particular ballot paper has been marked or pass on any such information gained from the session.6

It follows therefore that keeping a tally of how ballot papers have been marked is not allowed.

Anyone found guilty of breaching these requirements can face an unlimited fine or may be imprisoned for up to six months.7

You may appoint agents to attend postal vote openings.

Anyone can be appointed as a postal vote agent except for:

• the Returning Officer (RO) or a member of their staff 
• a partner or clerk of the RO or a member of their staff 
• anyone not entitled to vote at the election as a result of the report of an election court or a conviction for a corrupt or illegal practice under the Representation of the People Act 1983  

A person may be appointed as a postal voting agent for more than one candidate.1

You and your election agent can automatically act as one of these agents without the need of an official appointment.2

The RO will tell you the maximum number of postal voting you can appoint.3 All candidates will be allowed to appoint exactly the same number.

The request to appoint postal voting agents must be made in writing to the RO.4

The request must contain the names and addresses of the people being appointed.5 The Returning Officer will provide forms you can use for this, or you can use the Commission’ postal voting agent appointment form.

Appointment forms for postal voting agents need to be submitted to the RO by the time fixed for the opening of postal votes they want to attend.6

The RO will give you at least 48 hours’ notice before the scheduled start of each postal vote opening session.7

If an agent dies or becomes incapable of acting, you may appoint another agent in their place by submitting the relevant appointment form to the RO.8 Any new appointment in these circumstances must be made without delay.

More information on what postal voting agents can and cannot do and what they can expect to see at postal vote opening sessions can be found in our guidance on what does a postal voting agent do and the stages of the postal vote opening process.

A postal voting agent is allowed to attend and observe postal vote opening sessions, which are run by the Returning Officer (RO).

At each opening session the RO will decide whether or not the date of birth and signature provided by electors on their postal voting statements match the signature and date of birth previously provided and held on their records. If there is a mismatch, the postal vote will be rejected.

A postal voting agent has a right to observe, but not to interfere with this process. A postal voting agent can, however, object to the decision of a RO to reject a postal vote.1 It will not affect the RO's decision, but the RO will record any objections by marking the postal voting statement with the words 'rejection objected to'.

Like your postal voting agents, you, your election agent and the person you may have appointed to attend on your election agent’s behalf are also entitled to object to a rejection.

The RO will explain the postal vote opening process to you and may issue you with information on the procedures to be followed, including instructions on what you can and cannot do at the session. You should comply with any instructions that the RO has given.

It is likely that several opening sessions will take place before polling day, as well as on polling day itself.

The Returning Officer (RO) must:

• give candidates at least 48 hours’ notice of when and where the sessions will take place.1
• set out how many postal voting agents will be allowed to attend each session.

There will be a final opening session after the polls have closed to open any postal votes handed in to polling stations. This session may be held at the count venue or in another location. The RO will advise you of the location for the final opening.

For more information on the process carried out at the opening of postal votes see our guidance on the stages of the postal vote opening process.
 

The stages of the postal vote opening process can be summarised as follows:

Matching up postal voting statements with postal ballot papers

The RO will keep lists of any provisionally rejected postal ballot papers1 which are:

• any postal ballot paper that has been returned without a postal voting statement 
• any postal voting statement that are not returned with the ballot paper

The RO will check these lists regularly to ensure that if any mismatched documents can be matched up, those postal ballots they are re-introduced into the process.

Valid ballot papers are those ballot papers whose related postal voting statement has passed the signature and date of birth checks.

A very small number of voters do not need to sign their postal voting statement. These voters will have been granted a waiver because they are unable to sign or provide a consistent signature due to a disability or an inability to read or write. The postal voting statement sent to such electors will make this clear.

Invalid ballot papers are set aside and stored in secure packets.

Unless a waiver has been granted the Returning Officer (RO) will reject a postal voting statement if a signature and/or date of birth is missing, or if a signature and/or date of birth does not match that previously provided by the elector and held on record.

Rejected statements are attached to the relevant ballot paper or ballot paper envelope. They are marked as ‘rejected’ and shown to any agents present.

Agents can object to the RO’s decision to reject any postal vote and, if they do, the words ‘rejection objected to’ are added to it. However, the RO’s decision is final and the postal vote will remain rejected.

For polls on or after 2 May 2024 - Postal voting documents handed in or left with the Returning Officer that have been rejected

The Elections Act 2022 has introduced specific restrictions regarding the handing in of postal votes to polling stations or handing in to the RO. These rules apply  for polls held on or after 2 May 2024.

If an individual handing in a postal vote to the Returning Officer:

• does not fully complete the postal vote return form (incomplete)
• hands in postal votes on behalf of more than the permitted number of electors
• is a campaigner not permitted to handle postal votes
• does not complete the postal vote return form (left behind)

the postal vote will be rejected. You may see these rejected postal votes sealed up with a description of its contents written on each packet.
 

Polling day is the day on which polling stations will open and electors will visit them to cast their votes in person. It is also the last day that Returning Officers can accept returned postal votes. Polling day is sometimes called “election day”.

The guidance covers: 

• Polling station locations and the voting process
• Who can support you on polling day (including polling agents and tellers)
• Polling day dos and don’ts for you and your campaigners
• What happens after polls close
   

You and your election agent are entitled to observe proceedings inside polling stations.1 Additionally, you may appoint agents to attend polling stations on your behalf.2 For more details please see our guidance on appointing polling agents.

Finding the location of polling stations

The Returning Officer must give public notice of the location of polling stations by the sixth working day before the poll.3 They will give a copy of this notice to all appointed election agents soon after this.

Polling station opening hours

Polling stations will be open on polling day between 7am and 10pm. Any voters waiting in a queue at their polling station at 10pm will be allowed to vote, even if they haven’t yet been issued with a ballot paper. 
 

Most people choose to vote in person at their polling station. Any person on the polling station’s electoral register can vote at the polling station in a local election, unless:

• they are a registered postal voter
• they are a registered proxy voter and their proxy has already voted for them or has applied to vote on their behalf by post
• they are not 18 years of age or older on polling day
• they are registered as an overseas elector

Electors will receive a poll card before the election telling them where and when they can vote. Electors do not need to take their poll card to the polling station in order to vote, unless they are registered anonymously due to a risk to their safety.

Photographic ID requirements

Electors voting in a polling station will be required to show photographic ID before they are issued with a ballot paper. The accepted forms of photographic ID are:1

• a passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state, or a Commonwealth country (including an Irish Passport Card)
• a driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state
• a biometric immigration document
• an identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
• a Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
• a Blue Badge
• a national identity card issued by an EEA state
• an Older Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government
• a Disabled Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government
• an Oyster 60+ Card funded by the UK Government
• a Freedom Pass
• a Scottish National Entitlement Card for the purpose of concessionary travel
• a 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
• a Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
• a Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• an Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland 

Expired photographic ID documents can still be used as accepted photographic ID at the polling station, as long as the photograph is still a good likeness of the elector.

Where an elector does not have one of the accepted forms of photographic ID, they can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate in a number of ways: 

• online at https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate 
• in writing on a paper application form
• in person, if the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) is offering this service at their office

Anonymous electors wishing to vote in person will be required to apply for an Anonymous Elector’s Document. An application for an Anonymous Elector’s document can only be made in writing, using a paper application form. Your local ERO will be able to provide the elector with this form on request. The application form can then be returned to the ERO by the elector by post, by hand or by emailing a scanned copy.

Candidates and agents should not handle completed applications for Voter Authority Certificates or Anonymous Elector’s Documents. Further information is provided in our code of conduct for campaigners in Great Britain.

Return of postal ballot packs

Registered postal voters cannot be issued with a ballot paper at the polling station, but they can return their completed postal ballot pack to their polling station on polling day. Alternatively, they may return their postal vote to any polling station in the ward or by hand to the Returning Officer (RO) at the elections office.

If the RO has issued postal ballot packs for more than one election on the same day, they will provide information to the electors to explain where their postal ballot packs can be returned to. 

Postal ballot packs returned to polling stations must be handed to polling station staff and not placed in the ballot box. 

For polls held on or after 2 May 2024

The Elections Act 2022 introduced legislation which restricts the handling of postal voting documents by campaigners. The legislation will be in force for polls held on or after 2 May 2024.

It is an offence for a political campaigner to handle completed ballot papers or postal ballot packs for voters who are not close family or someone they care for.

It also sets a limit for the number of postal votes that can be handed in to a polling station or handed to the RO and introduces a requirement the completion of a form when doing so. 

A person can hand in postal votes on behalf of five other electors as well as their own.

A person who hands in a postal vote is required to complete a form containing information required by law. Failure to complete the form will result in the rejection of the postal votes that are handed in at a polling station or handed to the RO.

The voting process can be summarised as follows.

Polling station staff will:

• ask voters for their name and address before making sure that they are eligible to vote by checking against the register of electors
• ask the voter to produce their photographic ID
• verify the photographic ID
• mark a straight line against the voter’s entry on the register of electors
• call out the name and electoral number of the elector
• write the elector number on a list (the Corresponding Numbers List) next to the number of the ballot paper to be issued
• ensure that the ballot paper includes the official mark (e.g. a barcode or watermark)
• fold the ballot paper and then hand it unfolded to the elector so that they can see all of the options on the ballot paper

The elector will then: 

• take the ballot paper to the polling booth, and
• mark the ballot paper in private, unless assisted by a companion or the Presiding Officer
• fold the marked ballot paper and show the ballot paper number and unique identifying mark on the back of the ballot paper to the Presiding Officer
• place the ballot paper into the ballot box and then leave the polling station

The polling station will have facilities for any voter who wishes to have their ID checked in private.

Where the voter does not bring ID or brings an incorrect form of ID, the voter will be able to return to the polling station with an acceptable form of photographic ID. Once an acceptable form of ID is shown, the voter will be issued with a ballot paper.

Combined Polls

Where the election has been combined with another electoral event, polling station staff will be issuing the ballot papers for all electoral events that the voter is eligible to vote at.

This means that sometimes electors may not be receiving all of the ballot papers being issued in the polling station, as they may not be entitled to vote at every electoral event.
 
If polls have been combined, a single ballot box may be used for all contests, or separate ballot boxes may be used for each separate contest. 

Accessibility in polling stations

The Returning Officer has a responsibility to ensure that voting is accessible. They must provide each polling station with a range of equipment as is reasonable for the purposes of enabling or making it easier for disabled voters to vote independently and in secret.

The Presiding Officer can assist anyone who is unable to mark the ballot paper themselves.1 Alternatively, a voter may bring along someone they know and trust to assist them in marking their vote.2 The person assisting the voter must be aged 18 or over, and can only assist a maximum of two voters at the election.

Any person attending the polling station to assist an elector must complete a declaration to the Presiding Officer before they aid the elector in the polling booth.

The Returning Officer may arrange for the collection of any postal votes that electors have handed in at polling stations throughout polling day. The Presiding Officer must seal any returned postal votes in a packet before they are collected. Any of your agents present can add their own seal to the packet if they wish.

Once all voters who have been issued with a ballot paper have voted, the ballot box is sealed by the Presiding Officer and polling agents can add their own seal if they wish.1 After the Presiding Officer has completed all of the paperwork, the sealed ballot box is taken to the count venue.

You may appoint people as agents to attend the polling stations.1

What does a polling agent do?

While a polling agent can observe the poll, they do not have to be present in a polling station for polling and related procedures to take place. Polling agents have a number of important roles to play on polling day. They can:

• be present in the polling station before the opening of the poll to watch the Presiding Officer show the empty ballot box before it is sealed
• detect personation and prevent people voting more than once in the election (other than as proxies). Personation is when an individual votes as someone else, whether that person is living, dead or fictitious.
• be present when the Presiding Officer marks a ballot paper at the request of an elector who needs assistance marking a ballot paper because of a disability or an inability to read or write
• report to you or your election agent any improper activities and keep notes, if required, for giving evidence in court
• be present at the close of poll when the various packets of documents are sealed
• attach their seal to any packets made up by the Presiding Officer at the close of poll, including the ballot box. Polling agents’ seals cannot be attached to ballot boxes at the start of, or during, the poll.

You and your election agent can also do anything that a polling agent is entitled to do.2

Anyone can be appointed as a polling agent, provided that they are not:

• the Returning Officer (RO) or a member of their staff
• a partner or clerk of the RO or a member of their staff
• anyone not entitled to vote at the election as a result of the report of an election court or a conviction for a corrupt or illegal practice under the Representation of the People Act 1983

The same person may be appointed as a polling agent for more than one candidate.1 Both you and your election agent can also automatically act as one of those agents without the need of an official appointment.2

The number of agents who may be appointed to any particular polling station is limited to four,3 or such greater number as the RO decides to allow. If more than that number are appointed, the RO will draw lots to determine those people who may attend. Only one polling agent for each candidate can be present in a polling station at any time, but a polling agent can be appointed to attend multiple polling stations. Your right to attend will remain unaffected by this.

Polling agents must be appointed by not later than 5 working days before the poll.4 The request to appoint polling agents must be made in writing to the RO.5 It must contain the names and addresses of the people being appointed.6 The RO will provide forms you can use for this, or you can use the Commission’s polling agent appointment forms.

If an agent dies or becomes incapable of acting, you may appoint another agent in their place by submitting the relevant appointment form to the RO.7 Any new appointment in these circumstances must be made without delay.

Tellers are people who stand outside polling places and record the elector numbers of electors who have voted. They can then identify likely supporters who have not voted and encourage them to vote before the close of poll.

Tellers have no legal status and voters can refuse to give information to them. The Returning Officer is in charge of the conduct of the election in their voting area. If they are concerned by the activities of tellers, they can ask tellers to comply with agreed behaviour or leave the polling place.

We have produced a factsheet of tellers dos and don’ts, as well as more comprehensive guidance on the activities of tellers. The guidance aims to ensure that everyone knows precisely what is and is not acceptable and is designed to promote appropriate standards of conduct. The RO may also provide their own guidance to tellers.

Anyone attending a polling station has a duty to maintain the secrecy of the ballot.1 In particular, the following information must not be disclosed:

• the name or electoral number of who has or has not voted
• the number or other unique identifying mark on the ballot paper

Anyone attending a polling station must also not try to ascertain how a voter has voted or who they are about to vote for.

A polling agent can mark off on their copy of the register of electors those voters who have applied for ballot papers. If the polling agent leaves the polling station during the hours of polling, they must leave the marked copy of the register in the polling station to ensure that secrecy requirements are not breached.

Any person found guilty of breaching the secrecy requirements can face an unlimited fine, or may be imprisoned for up to six months.

You should:

• make sure that any tellers working for you follow our tellers’ dos and don’ts and any guidance issued by the Returning Officer (RO).
• make sure your campaigners follow the code of conduct for campaigners in Great Britain which sets out what is, and is not, considered acceptable behaviour at polling stations and in the community.
• comply with requests by polling station staff or the RO about campaigning near polling stations. You should, however, be allowed to put your message to voters on polling day, including in public spaces outside polling places.

• make sure that any agents who are attending polling stations, postal vote opening sessions or the count understand the rules about the secrecy of the ballot. For more information, see our documents setting out the secrecy requirements for the poll, postal voting and the count.

  Secrecy requirements - the poll (DOCX)
  Secrecy requirements - postal voting (DOCX)
  Secrecy requirements - verification and count (DOC)

You must not:

• campaign near polling stations in a way that could be seen by voters as aggressive or intimidating (for example, large groups of supporters carrying banners, or vehicles with loudspeakers or heavily branded with campaign material).
• breach the requirements on secrecy of the ballot.1 This is an essential part of any modern democracy and breaches are taken seriously.
• seek to identify and publicise how votes have been marked on individual ballot papers, particularly if you (or your agents) attend postal vote opening sessions. 
• publish exit polls or any other data based on information given by people about how they voted after they have cast their vote, including a postal vote, before the close of poll.2

The verification and count may take place immediately following the close of poll or the Returning Officer (RO) may decide to verify and count during the following day(s).

The RO will notify you of the exact time and location and will request that you provide a list of who will be attending with you. See our guidance on who can attend the count and appointing counting agents for more information.

The RO will issue instructions or an invitation with any requirements they have in place for attendance which you should ensure are followed by yourself and anyone else attending with you.

You and your election agent are entitled to observe the count.1

Additionally, you can invite one other person to attend. This person is in attendance as your guest. They have no powers or functions.

You may also appoint agents to attend the count on your behalf.2

Counting agents have a number of important roles to play at the count:

• they observe the counting process and make sure that it is accurate
• they can draw to the attention of count staff any doubtful ballot papers
• if they disagree with a decision by the Returning Officer (RO) to reject a ballot paper, they can ask the RO to mark on the ballot paper “rejection objected to”
• if a count is suspended for any reason, counting agents can add their seals when the RO seals the ballot boxes and envelopes

You and your election agent can do anything a counting agent is allowed to do.

You may appoint other people as agents to attend the count.1

Anyone apart from those listed below can be appointed as a counting agent. The following people are not allowed to be counting agents:

• the RO or a member of their staff
• a partner or clerk of the RO or a member of their staff
• anyone not entitled to vote at the election as a result of the report of an election court or a conviction for a corrupt or illegal practice under the Representation of the People Act 1983

The same person may be appointed as a counting agent for more than one candidate.2 Both you and your election agent can also automatically act as one of those agents without the need of an official appointment.3

The RO will tell you the maximum number of counting agents you can appoint.4 All candidates will be allowed to appoint exactly the same number.

At the count, unless there are special circumstances, the number of counting agents allowed for each candidate will not be less than the number obtained by dividing the number of counting assistants (i.e., those staff employed on the counting) by the number of candidates.5

The request to appoint these agents must be made in writing to the RO.6 It must contain the names and addresses of the people being appointed.7 The RO will provide forms you can use for this, or you can use the counting agent appointment forms below.

The deadline for appointing counting agents is by no later than the fifth working day before the poll.8

If an agent dies or becomes incapable of acting, you may appoint another agent in their place by submitting the relevant appointment form to the RO.9 Any new appointment in these circumstances must be made without delay.

For more information on what agents can and cannot do and what they can expect to see at the count, guidance can be found in What does a counting agent do?

Stage 1 – Check in

The Returning Officer’s (RO) staff will deliver the ballot boxes from the polling station to the count venue.

The RO’s staff check the ballot boxes as they arrive at the count venue.

Stage 2 – Verification

Ballot boxes are emptied onto tables and the empty boxes are shown to agents.

Staff count the ballot papers from each polling station.

Staff verify that the number of ballot papers matches the number of papers issued, as recorded on the Presiding Officers’ ballot paper accounts.

The verified ballot papers are shown to election and counting agents face up.

The RO determines the reasons for any discrepancies and produces a final verified total.

The RO produces a statement of the verification. Agents can view or copy this statement if they wish.

Where the election has been combined with another electoral event, all ballot boxes will be verified before any results are declared.

There may be a single ballot box for all elections or separate boxes for each. In any case, ballot papers will be sorted into the separate contests.

Any ballot paper found in the ‘wrong’ ballot box is still valid and will be moved to the correct box during verification.

If the count does not take place immediately following verification, the verified boxes will be stored securely. Candidates and agents can attach their seals to boxes if they wish.

Stage 3 – Counting of the votes

Staff sort ballot papers by candidate. Where more than one candidate is to be elected, the RO may use different methods to establish the votes cast for each candidate, e.g., counting sheets or ‘grass skirts’.

Staff count the number of votes cast for each candidate.

The RO will share the provisional result with you and the agents. You or your election agent can ask the RO to recount the votes.

The RO can refuse to recount if they think the request is unreasonable.
 

A ballot paper will not be counted if it:

• is unmarked
• does not contain the official mark
• contains votes for more candidates than the number of vacancies
• contains any mark or writing that can identify the voter
• does not indicate the voter’s intention with certainty

The Returning Officer (RO) must draw up a statement showing the number of ballot papers rejected for these reasons.

The RO must mark the work “rejected” on any ballot paper that is rejected. They must add the words “rejection objected to” if a counting agent objects to the RO’s decision.

If the voter’s intention is clear on a ballot paper and the voter cannot be identified by any mark or writing, it will not be void if a vote is marked:

• elsewhere than in the proper place
• by other means than a cross (e.g., a tick)
• by more than one mark

Doubtful ballot papers

To assist ROs, we have produced guidance on how to adjudicate votes on ballot papers that may appear doubtful. This guidance is contained in our booklet “Dealing with doubtful ballot papers”. We have product doubtful ballot paper placemats for one-member, two-member and three-member wards that ROs may refer to at the count.

The examples given in these documents are based on the elections rules.

Please note that while these documents provide guidance for ROs, each individual RO has the ultimate responsibility for making a decision on individual ballot papers. Their decision to reject a particular ballot paper during the count or recount is final and can be reviewed only at an election petition after the declaration of result. For more details, see our guidance on election petitions. 

If two or more candidates have the same number of votes, and a further vote for either would see the candidate elected, the Returning Officer (RO) must decide between them by drawing lots.

The RO will decide the method of drawing lots.

The Returning Officer (RO) will declare elected the candidate (or candidates in the case of multi-seat vacancy) with the most votes.

For more information about the allocation of seats see our guidance on the allocation of seats where a scheduled election is combined with a by-election in the same ward.

The RO will give public notice of the result.

The RO will publish a notice with the name of each candidate elected, the number of votes for all candidates, and the number of rejected ballot papers.

Some ROs allow candidates to make speeches after the result is declared. Please check arrangements with your RO. 

What happens to the paperwork after the results is announced?

The RO must seal all election documentation, add a description of the contests to each packet and forward them on to the Electoral Registration Officer.

For more information on what happens after the declaration of the result, see our guidance on after the election.
 

This section sets out what happens after the election, including actions that candidates must take. This covers:

• Submitting your spending return and the associated deadlines
• Access and supply of election documents
• Election petitions
   

After the election, the agent should make sure that:

• all invoices are received no later than 21 calendar days after the election result is declared1
• all invoices are paid no later than 28 calendar days after the election result is declared2
• an election spending return reporting details of the candidate’s spending and donations, together with a declaration confirming the return is complete and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief, is reported to the Returning Officer no later than 35 days after the election result is declared3

Please note that if the deadline for any of the above falls on a weekend or public holiday, the deadline will move to the next working day.4  This is included within the following deadline calculations.

The candidate must provide a written statement of their personal expenses to their agent within 21 days of the result being declared.5  

The candidate must also send the Returning Officer a declaration confirming that the return is complete and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief. This must be done within seven working days of the return being submitted.6

If the candidate is outside the United Kingdom when the declaration is due, the deadline for submitting their declaration is extended to 14 days after they come back.7

You must still submit a return even if you haven’t spent any money.8  This is called a ‘nil return’.

There are consequences for failure to submit spending returns and these are set out in What happens if a spending return or declaration isn’t submitted?

Invoices received or paid outside of the deadlines

We call claims (invoices for your candidate spending) that are received by the election agent later than the deadline of 21 days, unpaid claims. 

Unpaid claims cannot legally be paid unless a court order is gained granting leave to pay the claim.9   It can be an offence to pay an unpaid claim without a court order.10

We call claims (invoices) that were submitted within the deadline of 21 days but remain unpaid later than the deadline of 28 days, disputed claims.

Disputed claims cannot legally be paid without a court order first being gained granting leave to pay the claim.11

Any claim paid:

• after the 21 day deadline for receipt, or
• after the 28 day deadline for payments,

following a successful application to the court and after the deadline for submission of election spending returns, must be reported in writing to the returning officer within seven days of payment and be accompanied by a copy of the court order.12

You should also forward a copy of the Order to the Electoral Commission.

The spending and donations report is known as a ‘return’.

The agent must complete the return, which should include the following for each item of spending:

• what the spending was for – for example, leaflets or advertising
• the name and address of the supplier
• the amount or value
• details of when it was incurred and paid
• details of any unpaid or disputed amounts
• details of any notional spending, and a declaration of its value1
• invoices or receipts for any payment of £20 or over2
• details of any personal expenses3

The return must also include details of all donations over £50 and any authorised local campaigning spending.4   There is more information on the details that you need to report in Candidate spending and Candidate donations.

The candidate and agent must also sign a declaration that the return is complete and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief.5   It is your responsibility to fully and accurately report candidate spending.

It is a criminal offence to make a false declaration knowingly.6

Forms you will need:

Failure to submit a spending return or declaration by the deadline without an authorised excuse is a criminal offence.1

The Electoral Commission has a legal remit to secure compliance with the rules on candidates’ spending and donations, but no sanctioning powers in respect of breaches. Suspected breaches of the rules should be referred to the police.

If a candidate has been elected but the spending return and/or declaration has not been submitted by the deadline they are barred from sitting or voting, and can be subject to a forfeit or fine of £50 per day if they do so.2

If you do not comply with the legal or regulatory requirements, you may be subject to criminal sanctions.  If you win the election and someone succeeds in an election petition against your campaign activities or reporting, you could be barred from holding office.

If you take donations that you can’t legally accept, we may apply to the courts for them to be forfeited.

You can find more information about the Commission’s regulatory role at: electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/our-enforcement-work
 

If elected, you may not act as a councillor (this includes attending and voting at meetings) until you have signed the declaration of acceptance of office.1

The local authority to which you have been elected will provide the declaration for you to complete.

The declaration must be made within two months from the day of election.2 If you do not submit your declaration by this deadline, the seat will be declared vacant and a by-election will be held.

Where a local by-election has been combined with a scheduled local election to the same ward, seats are allocated according to the number of votes obtained by the winning candidates.1

For example, in the case of a scheduled election to a ward with one vacancy that has been combined with a by-election to the same ward, the candidate with the most votes is allocated the seat vacated due to the scheduled election. This is because this seat carries the longest term of office. The person with the second highest number of votes is then allocated the by-election seat.
 

After the results are declared, all election documents are securely held by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for a period of 12 months.1

Most documents are available for public inspection. Please note that ballot papers are not open to public inspection.

Inspection and supply of the marked registers and lists of absent voters2

The marked electoral registers and lists of absent voters show who has been issued with a ballot paper, who has returned their postal ballot paper, and who has had a proxy vote cast on their behalf.

You can inspect or obtain copies of the marked register of electors and lists of absent voters after the election if you make a request in writing to the ERO. Contact details are available on our website.
 
Note that you can only use the information obtained from these documents for research or electoral purposes.

The request for inspection must specify:3

• which documents are requested
• the purposes for which the information in any document will be used
• where the request is to inspect the marked register or lists, any reason why inspecting the full register or unmarked lists would not be sufficient to achieve that purpose
• who will inspect the documents
• the date on which you wish to inspect the documents
• whether you would prefer to inspect the documents in a printed or data form

Inspection is under supervision and will be free of charge. You won’t be able to take copies but may make handwritten notes.

The request for supply must specify:4

• which of the marked register or lists (or the relevant part of the register or lists) are requested
• whether a printed copy of the records or lists is requested or a copy in data form
• the purposes for which the marked register or lists will be used and why the supply or purchase of a copy of the full register or unmarked lists would not be sufficient to achieve that purpose

The requested document will be supplied for a fee of £10 plus £2 for printed and £1 for data versions per 1,000 entries.5

Note that after 12 months these documents, held by the ERO, will be destroyed unless a court order directs otherwise.6

Under current data protection legislation, personal data processed for any purpose shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose. If you request and are supplied with any of the information listed above, once the purpose for collecting this data has passed, you need to consider if there is a reason for you to retain that data. If there is not you should ensure secure destruction of any data held.

Nomination papers cannot be inspected after the election. They can only be inspected until the day before the poll.

Inspection of other election documents7

You can inspect other election documents, but you will not be allowed to make any notes or take copies of these documents. The only documents that cannot be inspected are:

• the ballot papers
• the corresponding number lists
• the certificates allowing polling station staff to vote at the polling station they are working at 
• the Ballot Paper Refusal List (information from this list can only be disclosed to the relevant elector or proxy on request following their refusal)8

After 12 months all of the election documents that are held by the ERO will be destroyed, unless a court order directs otherwise.9

Inspection of election spending returns10

The spending returns and declarations are held by the Returning Officer. Spending returns and declarations can be inspected by any person after they have been submitted. Copies can also be made for a fee of 20p per side.

Spending returns and declarations are kept for two years. You can request to have them returned to you or your agent at the end of this period. If you or your agent does not want them back, the spending returns and declarations will be destroyed.

The outcome of a local government election can be challenged through an election petition.

Lodging an election petition

Only certain people can lodge an election petition, and only under specific circumstances.

An election petition can be presented by:1

• someone claiming to have been a candidate at the election, or
• at least four electors (not anonymously registered electors) who had a right to vote at the election (although they need not have voted)

The allowable grounds for a petition are that:2

• the successful candidate was disqualified at the time of the election
• the successful candidate was not duly elected
• the election was invalidated by corrupt or illegal practices
• the election was invalidated because of general corruption or the employment of a corrupt canvasser/agent

Normally, a petition must be presented within 21 calendar days after the date of the election.3 However, if the petition complains of corrupt or illegal practices involving the payment of money or other reward, or an illegal practice relating to election spending, further time may be allowed.

For any questions relating to election petitions, including to confirm the deadlines for lodging an election petition, you should contact the Election Petitions Office:

The Election Petitions Office
Room E105
Royal Courts of Justice
Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0207 947 6877
Fax: 0870 324 0024

There are costs attached to an election petition. If you are considering lodging an election petition, we strongly recommend that you take independent legal advice.

Guidance for Candidates and Agents at local government elections in England

What you need to know before you stand as a candidate

Campaigning

Nominations

Postal votes

Polling Day

Verification and count

After the election