Guidance for Returning Officers administering a Senedd election

If you decide a party list nomination paper is invalid, or you determine that a party list candidate has ceased to stand nominated, you must:1

• state that fact on the nomination paper
• write on it the reasons it is invalid or that the candidate has ceased to stand nominated
• sign the paper

You should contact the Nominating Officer as soon as possible so that they may have the opportunity wherever possible to submit another nomination paper by the close of nominations.

Objections

You must make a decision on an objection to a party nomination paper or to a party list candidate as soon as reasonably practicable after the objection has been made.2 For more information see our guidance on objections to nomination papers.

Sending notice of your decision

As soon as practicable after your decision has been made, you must send notice to each nominating officer stating:3

• your decision as to whether the party’s nomination paper is valid or invalid
• the name and address of any candidates that are to be deleted from the party list

Once you have decided that a nomination paper is valid, that decision cannot be challenged during the election, although it may be challenged after the election by way of an election petition.4
 
We have produced a checklist which sets out what you will need to consider and specific things to look out for when determining a nomination.

You can find the nomination checklist in the nominations section of our resource page.