Guidance for Returning Officers administering a Senedd election

You should consider any objection that you receive during the allowed time for objections to be made.
 
For more information see our guidance on decision as to the validity of individual candidate’s nomination papers and decision as to the validity of party nomination papers.
 
You must decide any objection as soon as practicable after it is made and in any event within 24 hours after the close of nominations.1
 
You should limit the objection process to the nomination forms for individual and party list candidates.
 
Where you decide, as a result of an objection, that a party nomination form, a candidate on a party list and individual candidate’s nomination form you have already determined should have been ruled invalid, you must show on the statement of parties and persons nominated:2

• any party, party list candidate or individual candidate who is no longer validly nominated 
• the reason why they no longer stand nominated

You must inform the party’s Nominating Officer or individual candidate as appropriate.3
 
Your decision that a nomination paper is valid is final and cannot be challenged during an election. The decision can only be challenged after an election through an election petition.4