Guidance for Returning Officers administering a Senedd election

Individual candidates standing for election

Individual candidates may only use the description Independent and/or Annibynnol, or leave the description blank.1

Party list candidates

Each party nomination form must include either:2  

• the registered party name (or names) of a registered political party - if they want to use a registered party name that does not include Wales, Welsh, Cymru or Cymreig then the registered party name may be supplemented with Wales, Welsh, Cymru or Cymreig in the description box on the nomination paper3
• one of the descriptions the party has registered with the Commission

Use of party names and party descriptions

To stand a party list for election, a political party must be a qualifying political party.4
 
A qualifying political party is one that is registered on the Commission’s register of political parties at http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk and is listed as allowed to field candidates in Wales.5
  
The party will need to submit a certificate of authorisation, authorising the use of the registered party name or a registered description on the ballot paper.6
   
Political parties can register up to 12 descriptions and the Welsh translations of those descriptions.

You must check that the party name or description as given on the nomination form is registered on the Commission’s register of political parties and matches it exactly (not including any prefix of Welsh/Cymraeg or suffix Wales/Cymru.) If it does not, you must reject that nomination.7
    
Even if a registered party is well known, it is vital to check the register of political parties for the exact details of the party as registered with the Commission.

A party may use either the English version, Welsh version or both versions of either the party name or a description as long as they are registered with the Commission.

If the registered party name does not already include Wales / Welsh / Cymru / Cymreig then the candidate may choose to supplement the registered party name as given on the certificate with Wales / Welsh / Cymru / Cymreig.8
  
Translations of party names are listed on the website under alternative name and translations of descriptions are listed to the right of the description under translation(s). If a translation of a party name is not listed, or a translation is not recorded against a description, then a translation is not registered and cannot be used.
 
For the purposes of maintaining a clear audit trail and in case of any future challenges, you should print a copy of the relevant part of the Commission’s register of political parties showing the descriptions and party name at the time of your determination.

Certificate of authorisation

If a party wishes to use a party name or description, they must provide a certificate of authorisation. The certificate of authorisation is prescribed and must be combined with the party nomination form.9 The description must be authorised by the party’s Nominating Officer10 (or someone appointed in writing by the Nominating Officer).

You can check who the Nominating Officer for a particular party is by referring to the Commission’s register of political parties.