Guidance for Candidates and Agents at Senedd elections

Will the election be contested or uncontested? 

The election is uncontested if either the number of candidates standing for election (whether on a party’s list or individual candidates) is the same or less than the number of seats for the constituency.1

In these circumstances, the Returning Officer (RO) will declare the Senedd seats for the constituency in accordance with the rules.

If elected at an uncontested election, individual candidates must still submit a spending return and make a declaration as to their election spending. 

For more information see our guidance on spending for individual candidates.

Publication of statement of parties and persons nominated

The RO will publish a statement of parties and persons nominated, including notice of poll for the constituency, by no later than 4pm, 18 working days before the poll.2

The statement must include:3

• each registered party together with the list of candidates who are validly nominated
• each individual candidate who is validly nominated
• the full name of each party list candidate and individual candidate or commonly used names if they have given one
• the description Independent and/or Annibynnol (if applicable) for individual candidates not standing on behalf of a political party
• the home addresses of all party list candidates, or if they have requested not to make their home address public the relevant area which is:
  • the name of the Senedd constituency if the home address is in Wales,
  • the name of the UK Parliamentary constituency if the home address is elsewhere in the UK
  • the country if their home address is situated outside the UK
• the information contained in each candidates’ statement of membership of political parties, as given in their nomination papers
• any registered parties or individual candidates who no longer stand nominated, if any (i.e. invalid and withdrawn candidates or parties), with the reason why they are no longer standing

Candidate contact details

Where you have provided your email or telephone contact details to the RO via the candidate contact details form, these details will then be passed on to the police to enable them to provide you with any specific security guidance updates or advice for these elections. 

These contact details will also be shared with the Electoral Management Board for Wales (EMB).