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

Appointing an election agent

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 must declare in writing the name, address and office address of your election agent to the (Acting) Returning Officer by 4pm, 19 working days before the poll.1 The declaration should be signed by you 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 the (Acting) Returning Officer can easily contact them.

The (Acting) Returning Officer may provide a declaration form, or you could use the election agent declaration form produced by the Commission. If you do not appoint someone else as your agent by the deadline, you will automatically become your own agent.2


Your agent must have an office address to which any legal notices can be delivered3 and therefore must be a physical address – PO boxes or similar mailboxes cannot be used. 

Your agent's office address must be:4

  • within the parliamentary constituency where you are standing, or
  • within a constituency which adjoins the constituency where you are standing, or
  • within Wales, within a Welsh county or county borough which is part of, or adjoins, the constituency, or
  • within London, within a London borough or district, which is part of, or adjoins, the 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 you act as your own election agent, unless you provide an office address, your home address as provided on the home address form will be published on the notice of election agents.5  If that address is outside the permitted area, the office address is deemed to be the address of your proposer (i.e. the first subscriber on your nomination form).
 

Last updated: 28 March 2024