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 PARO by 4pm, 19 working days 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.
It is helpful also to provide a contact telephone number and email address for your election agent so that the PARO or LRO can easily contact them.
The PARO may provide a declaration form, or you could use the election agent declaration form produced by the Commission. If you do not appoint someone as your agent by the deadline, you will automatically become your own agent.2
Your agent's office address must be within the police area where the election is being held. It must be a physical address – PO boxes or similar mailboxes cannot be used.3
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 you automatically become your own election agent because you have not appointed an agent, the office address is deemed to be the address you provided on the home address form. If that address is outside the police area, the office address is deemed to be the address of your proposer (i.e. the first subscriber on your nomination form).4
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.5
Any new appointment in these circumstances must be made without delay.