Guidance for Candidates and Agents at Senedd elections

For your nomination to be valid, the sum of £500 must be deposited with the Returning Officer (RO) by the deadline for nominations, 4pm 19 working days before the poll.1 The deposit can be made using:2

• legal tender (cash in British pounds only)
• a UK banker’s draft

The RO may also accept a deposit made by a building society cheque a debit or credit card or an electronic transfer. However, they may refuse to do so. If you are considering paying the deposit in one of these ways, you should discuss with the RO at the earliest opportunity whether the payment method is acceptable.

If the RO allows the deposit to be paid by credit or debit card, there may be a fee charged by the bank or credit card company for the transaction, in which case you will be required to pay any additional fees as well as the £500 deposit.

Unless the person making the deposit is your agent and you have notified the RO of their appointment, the person making the deposit must at the time they make it give their name and address to the RO.3

The deposit will be returned if you poll 5% or more of the valid votes cast in the constituency. Those candidates who have polled less than 5% of the total number of the valid votes cast will lose their deposit.4