Guidance for Returning Officers administering a Senedd election

Where a party list candidate or an individual candidate commonly uses a name that is different in any respect from their actual names or where they use one or more forenames or their surname in a different way from the way they are stated on their nomination form they can ask for their commonly used name(s) to be used instead of their actual name.1
    
A candidate can request to use a commonly used forename, surname or both. A candidate may also use initials as part of their commonly used name if they are commonly known by them.
 
For example, they may be known by their abbreviated name Andy, rather than their full first name Andrew. In that case, they can write ‘Andy’ into the commonly used forename box on the nomination form if they would rather that name appear on the ballot paper.

In another example, if their actual name is Andrew John Smith but they are commonly known as John Smith, they can request that the name John Smith appear on the ballot paper.
  
A candidate with a hyphenated surname may choose to use one part of their surname if this is how they are commonly known. For example, in the case of Andrew Smith-Roberts, he could use Andrew Roberts or Andrew Smith (if either was the name by which he is commonly known).

This table sets out a non-exhaustive list of potential variations for commonly used names:

Decisions on Commonly Used Names

It is not for you to decide whether the commonly used name is a name that the candidate commonly uses or whether it meets the legal requirements. The law requires you to take whatever has been entered in the commonly used name box at face value and to accept it as the candidate’s commonly used name.

The only grounds you have in law for rejecting a commonly used name is that you consider that either:2  

• its use may be likely to mislead or confuse electors
• it is obscene or offensive

It is the party’s or individual candidate’s responsibility to ensure that they have completed their nomination in accordance with the law and to be satisfied that the given commonly used name is a name that the candidate genuinely commonly uses.

In the course of providing informal advice, you may wish to draw the Nominating Officer's or candidate’s attention to our guidance for candidates and agents on commonly used names.