Guidance for Candidates and Agents at Police and Crime Commissioner elections

Each nomination form needs to be signed (subscribed) by the 100 electors who are on the local government electoral register for a local authority in the police area.

They 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  

The first two electors will sign and print their names as proposer and seconder, and the remaining 98 are assenters to the nomination.

If a nomination form contains more than 100 subscribers’ signatures, only the first 100 will be accepted.3   If one of the first 100 subscribers is invalid, the PARO must hold the nomination form invalid, regardless of whether the form contains more than 100. 4

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

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 Once the PARO has formally accepted a nomination form, signatures cannot be withdrawn.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, as well as the name of the local authority in which they are registered.5   

The elector number includes the distinctive numbers or letters of the polling district, which can usually be found at the front of the register. 

The Electoral Registration Officer for each local authority will be able to advise you how their register is laid out.

You will be entitled to a free copy of the electoral register for each local authority, or part of a local authority, that is within the police area in which you are standing.6   

You should use the registers 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, 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 the PARO. For further information on data protection and processing you should refer to the PARO’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.