Guidance for Candidates and Agents at Senedd elections

Party list candidates

A party that has submitted a list of candidates for election must have an election agent to act for all the candidates on the party list.1

A candidate included on a party list may be named as election agent for that party.2

Because of the responsibilities attached to the role of an election agent, the party should consider carefully who is appointed and make sure that they understand their obligations.  

The Nominating Officer, or someone on behalf of the Nominating Officer, must declare in writing the name and address of your election agent to the Returning Officer (RO) by 4pm 18 working days before the poll.3

The declaration should be made by the party agent (or the person making the declaration on behalf of the party). If it is made by someone else, the agent must provide a signed declaration of acceptance of the appointment.  

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 RO.

The RO may provide a declaration form, or you could use the election agent declaration form produced by the Commission.  

If the RO is not notified of the name and address of the election agent appointed by the party, the candidate whose name appears first on the list of candidates shall be deemed to have been named on behalf of the party for all candidates.4

If a party list candidate is appointed as the election agent and they have requested on their home address form that their home address must not be made public the home address will not be published on the notice of election agents.5

Instead, the constituency or country they provided on their home address form will be printed on the notice of election agent.6

If a party list candidate is named as the election agent and the statement of persons nominated shows a commonly used name, the notice of election agent must show their commonly used name instead as stated on their nomination paper.7

Office of election agent for a party list

The agent must have an office address to which any legal notices can be delivered and therefore must be a physical address – PO boxes or similar mailboxes cannot be used.8

The office address must be declared at the same time as the RO is notified of  appointment of the election agent.9   

The agent’s office address must be in either:10

• the Senedd constituency in which the election is held or an adjoining constituency  
• a county or county borough which is partly comprised in or adjoins the Senedd constituency

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 a party list candidate is declared as the election agent for the party list and their home address is also their office address and they have requested via their home address form that their home address must not be made public then a correspondence address must also be provided to the RO.11 The correspondence address must be in England or Wales. The correspondence address will be published on the notice of election agents instead of the office address.12

Where the candidate named first on the party list is deemed to be the election agent because the RO has not been notified of an agent appointment, the office address will be deemed to be the address provided on the candidate’s consent to nomination.13

All candidates must provide an address on their consent to nomination to be used as an office address in the event they become an election agent by default.14

Individual candidate

You must have an election agent.15

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, and office address of your election agent to the RO by 4pm 18 working days before the poll.16

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 to also provide a contact telephone number and email address for your election agent so that they can be easily contacted by the RO.

The RO may provide a declaration form, or you could use the election agent declaration form produced by the Commission.

If the RO is not notified of the name and address of your election agent by the latest time for delivery of notice of withdrawal of candidature, you will automatically be named as your own agent.17

If you act as your own election agent and you have requested on your home address form that your home address must not be made public, the home address will not be published on the notice of election agents.18

Instead, the constituency or country you provided on your home address form will be printed on the notice of election agent.19

If an individual candidate is named as the election agent and the statement of persons nominated shows a commonly used name, the notice of election agent must show their commonly used name as stated on their nomination paper.20

Office of election agent for an individual candidate

The agent must have an office address to which any legal notices can be delivered and therefore must be a physical address – PO boxes or similar mailboxes cannot be used.21

The office address must be declared at the same time as the appointment of the election agent to the RO.22

The agent’s office address must be:23

• in the Senedd constituency in which the election is held or an adjoining constituency  
• in a county or county borough which is partly comprised in or adjoins the Senedd constituency .

The agent’s office address will often be their home address, but it could be an office set up for the election.

If an individual candidate has appointed themselves as their own election agent, and their home address is also their office address and they have requested via their home address form that their home address must not be made public, then a correspondence address must be provided to the RO instead of an office address.24 The correspondence address must be in England or Wales. The correspondence address will be published on the notice of election agents instead of the office address.25

Where an individual candidate deemed to be their own election agent because the RO has not been notified of an agent appointment, the office address will be deemed to be the address provided on the candidate’s consent to nomination.26 All candidates must provide an address on their consent to nomination to be used as an office address in the event they become an election agent agent by default.27