Guidance for Candidates and Agents at UK Parliamentary by-elections in Great Britain

Submitting your nomination papers

It is your responsibility to ensure that your nomination papers, including the home address form and the consent to nomination, and where you are standing on behalf of a party, the certificate of authorisation and emblem request form, are delivered to the place specified on the notice of election by 4pm, 19 working days before the poll.1  If you are appointing an election agent, you will also need to submit their appointment form by this deadline.

Only a limited number of persons may deliver your nomination form and home address form. The nomination form and home address form may only be delivered by yourself, your proposer or seconder, or by your election agent (if the (Acting) Returning Officer has previously received notification of their appointment).2

There are no restrictions on who can deliver your consent to nomination, certificate of authorisation and emblem request form, but we recommend that you, your agent, your proposer or seconder, or someone you trust delivers them, so you can be sure the consent is delivered to the (A)RO in time.

You should contact the (A)RO as soon as possible to find out what arrangements are in place for submitting nomination papers. You will be able to contact the (A)RO via your local elections office. Contact details can be obtained from our website.

Last updated: 4 December 2023