Guidance for the GLRO administering the GLA elections

Party lists at the London-wide Assembly Member election

By law, the only grounds that you have for determining that a party list nomination form is invalid are:1

• that the authorised description by which the party is to stand for election is not the registered name of the party or one of the descriptions registered with the Commission 
• that the form does not contain the statement that it is issued either by the party’s registered Nominating Officer or someone authorised in writing to act on their behalf
• that there are more than 25 candidates on the party list

Where in your opinion the nomination form is invalid on either of the first two grounds above, you must give a decision to that effect as soon as practicable after the delivery of the nomination form and in any event, no later than 24 hours after the deadline for delivery of nomination papers.2  

You must delete the name and address of a candidate from a party list where:3

• proof is given to your satisfaction of the candidate’s death
• the candidate withdraws
• the candidate’s particulars in the party list are not as required by law
• the candidate’s consent to nomination has not been delivered in accordance with the rules

The home address form must be completed in full and must contain a signature if the candidate completes the statement requiring their home address not to be made public. You must determine that the home address form is invalid if it does not comply with legal requirements. 

Individual London-wide Assembly Member candidates

By law, the only grounds that you have for determining that a nomination form for an individual candidate at the London-wide Assembly Member election is invalid are:4

• that the particulars of the candidate are not as required by law
• that the person is subject to a disqualification order under section 30 of the Elections Act 2022

If you have not received the required deposit or any of the required nomination papers by the deadline for the submission of nomination papers, the candidate or party list has not been validly nominated.5 There is then no need to make a formal determination, and their name should not appear on the relevant statement of persons (and parties) nominated.

Returning deposits to parties who have withdrawn and individual candidates who have withdrawn or died

Where an individual London-wide Assembly candidate or registered party  is not shown as standing nominated in the statement of persons and parties nominated or if you have received proof before the allocation of seats, of the death of an individual candidate, the deposit must be returned as soon as practicable after the publication of the statement of persons and parties nominated or after the individual candidates death (as appropriate), to the person who made the deposit or their personal representative.6