Guidance for Returning Officers administering a Senedd election

You must return the deposit made by or on behalf of a political party or an individual candidate if they polled 5% or more of the total number of valid votes cast in the constituency.1

You must return the deposit to:2

• in the case of a political party, the registered Nominating Officer which submitted the party list
• in the case of an individual candidate, the person who made the deposit or that person’s personal representative

You must return the deposit no later than the next working day after the result of the election is declared.3

If you are returning a deposit by cheque, it is treated as being returned on the day on which the cheque is posted.4

Candidates or parties who poll less than 5% of the total number of valid votes cast forfeit their deposits to the Welsh Government. Details of this process will be included in the Fees and Charges guidance for the election, which will be provided by the Welsh Government.