Guidance for Candidates and Agents at Greater London Authority elections
Appointing an election agent (London-wide member election)
Party list candidates
The election agent is the person responsible for the proper management of your election campaign and, in particular, for its financial management. A party that has submitted a list of candidates for election as London-wide Assembly Members must have an election agent to act for all of the candidates on the party list.1 If an election agent isn’t appointed by the party, the candidate whose name appears highest on the list of candidates shall be deemed to have been named on behalf of the party for all of the candidates2
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.
The party, or someone authorised on the behalf of the party, must declare in writing the name and address of your election agent to the GLRO by 4pm on the 24th working day before the poll.3 The declaration should be made by the party (or the person making the declaration on behalf of the party) 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 they can be easily contacted by the GLRO or a Constituency Returning Officer.
The GLRO will provide a declaration form you can use. If the party does not appoint as an agent by the deadline, the first-named candidate on the list becomes the election agent 4
The agent must have an office address to which any legal notices can be delivered and therefore must be a physical address5 – PO boxes or similar mailboxes cannot be used.
Your agent's office address must be:6
- within Greater London, or
- within a UK Parliamentary constituency that is within or adjoins Greater London
The agent's office address will often be their home address, but it could be the local party office or an office set up for the election. If the person who will be the party list agent, does not want their home address published they should arrange to have an office address.
If the party does not appoint an agent, the first-named candidate on the list becomes the election agent.7 Their office address will be deemed to be the address provided on the home address form by the first-named candidate. This will be published on the notice of election agents. This will be published on the notice of elections agents.8
This is the case even where the candidate has chosen to withhold their home address from the statement of persons nominated and ballot paper.9
If that address is outside the qualifying area for an agents office address, an alternative address within the area should be provided.
Individual candidates
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.10 If you do not appoint an agent, you will become your own agent by default.11
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.
The party, or someone authorised on the behalf of the party, must declare in writing the name and address of your election agent to the GLRO by 4pm on the 24th working day before the poll.3 The declaration should be made by the party (or the person making the declaration on behalf of the party) 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 they can be easily contacted by the GLRO or a Constituency Returning Officer.
The GLRO will provide a declaration form you can use. If you do not appoint someone else as your agent by the deadline, you will automatically become your own agent.
The agent must have an office address to which any legal notices can be delivered and therefore must be a physical address13 – PO boxes or similar mailboxes cannot be used.
Your agent's office address must be:14
- within Greater London, or
- within a UK Parliamentary constituency that is within or adjoins Greater London
The agent's office address will often be their home address, but it could be the local party office or an office set up for the election. If the person who will be your agent, does not want their home address published they should arrange to have an office address.
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.15 If that address is outside the qualifying area for an agent’s office address, you should provide an alternative address within the area.
This is the case even where the candidate has chosen to withhold their home address from the statement of persons nominated and ballot paper.
- 1. Section 67(1A) Representation of the People Act 1983 (RPA 1983) ↩ Back to content at footnote 1
- 2. S.70A RPA 1983 ↩ Back to content at footnote 2
- 3. S.67 RPA 1983↩ Back to content at footnote 3 a b
- 4. S.70A(2) RPA 1983 ↩ Back to content at footnote 4
- 5. S,69 RPA 1983 ↩ Back to content at footnote 5
- 6. S.69(2) RPA 1983 ↩ Back to content at footnote 6
- 7. S.70A(2) RPA 1983 ↩ Back to content at footnote 7
- 8. S.70(1) RPA 1983 ↩ Back to content at footnote 8
- 9. S.70A(6)(a) RPA 1983 ↩ Back to content at footnote 9
- 10. S.67 RPA 1983 ↩ Back to content at footnote 10
- 11. S.70(1) 7RPA 1983 ↩ Back to content at footnote 11
- 13. S,69 RPA 1983 ↩ Back to content at footnote 13
- 14. S.69(2) RPA 1983 ↩ Back to content at footnote 14
- 15. S.70(4) RPA 1983 ↩ Back to content at footnote 15