Guidance for the GLRO administering the GLA elections

You should ensure that candidates and election agents are offered a briefing session on the election processes, including local arrangements. 

You should also hold an additional briefing session after the list of candidates standing for election has been confirmed after the close of nominations.

As a minimum, your briefing should cover:

• the nomination process
• the election process
• election spending
• accessing the electoral register
• equipment provided to polling stations that makes voting easier for disabled people
• handling of postal votes restrictions on the handling of postal voting documents by campaigners
• the Code of conduct for campaigners in Great Britain

You  should also inform candidates and agents that Voter Identification requirements are in place for this poll.

You will also need to work with CROs and BROs to decide how information about local arrangements will be provided to parties, candidates and agents. . 

Local arrangements will included details from CROs and BROs such as their contact details and information on the dates, times and venues, including: 

• postal vote issues and openings
• polling day, including the equipment provided to polling stations that makes voting easier for disabled people 
• the verification and count, including any additional security measures that will be in place

You could decide to collate and disseminate local information centrally, or to advise parties, candidates and agents to contact the relevant CRO/BRO directly. Whatever method you choose you should ensure that parties, candidates and agents can easily access all the information they need in order to be able to participate in the elections.

You should ensure that parties, candidates and election agents are offered a briefing session on the elections processes specific to the election they are standing in, including local arrangements. The briefings should allow for the fact that there may be people who have little or no knowledge of election rules and procedures or who have not involved themselves in elections for some time. 

While you should invite all potential parties and candidates to a briefing session ahead of or at the start of the nominations period, you may choose to hold an additional briefing session after the list of parties and candidates (as appropriate) standing for election has been confirmed after the close of nominations.

All briefing sessions should highlight the importance of following the election rules. 

Your briefing session(s) should also highlight any security arrangements that have been put in place in consultation with the police, including your plans to share candidate email/phone number contact details with your local force elected-official adviser (FEOA) to help maintain candidate safety. You should advise candidates of how their contact details will be used and provide an opportunity to opt out if necessary. 

You should invite your police single point of contact (SPOC) and FEOA to attend any briefing sessions, or to provide written material that you can provide to parties, candidates and agents.

You should also work with CROs, to determine whether they should provide briefings in their constituency area and agree the content of any such briefing sessions, which could include their local arrangements, such as details of postal vote issues, postal vote openings and the poll and cover information on the verification and count.

We have produced a template presentation for candidates and agents, which may be used as a basis for briefing candidates and agents.