Guidance for Returning Officers administering Local Government Elections in England

At a mayoral election, you must to produce a booklet that includes election addresses from candidates at the election and deliver it to each person entitled to vote at the mayoral election.1
 
You must only include an election address in the booklet if it complies with certain legal requirements.2 An election address must:

• only contain matter relating to the election3
• be prepared on behalf of a candidate by their election agent and contain a statement to that effect 
• the name and address of the election agent4
• the name and the home address of each candidate or, if they have requested not to make their home address public, the relevant electoral area as given on the home address form5
• be printed on no more than two sides of A5 paper.6 If the address exceeds one side of A5, be accompanied by a second version of the address that must not exceed one side of A5 paper7
• comply with any typographical layout, margin and colour use requirements that you determine8
• comply with any other requirements with a view to facilitate the reproduction of the address as a page or pages of the election booklet as you determine9
• if the address is to contain a photograph of the candidate, be accompanied by two identical copies of that photograph of which one must be signed on the back by the candidate10
• if the address is to contain anything else as part of that address, as many copies of it as you may reasonably require in connection with the reproduction of the address11
• be submitted to you by the last time allowed to deliver nomination papers for the election12

An election address must not:

• contain any advertising material other than material promoting the candidate as a candidate at the election13
• contain any other material appearing to be included with a view to commercial gain14
• contain any material referring to any other candidate15  
• contain a representation of an emblem of a registered political party registered with the Commission unless the address was prepared on behalf of that party’s authorised candidate (the candidate’s nomination was accompanied by the nomination deadline by a valid certificate of authorisation)16
• contain a party description or joint description registered with the Commission unless the candidate’s address was prepared on behalf of that party or those parties jointly (the candidate’s nomination was accompanied by the nomination deadline by a valid certificate of authorisation or certificates of authorisation for joint candidates)17

An election address may (as long as it meets the above requirements):

• be formatted as the candidate wishes including using any combination of words, pictures and artwork18
• include a picture of the candidate19

If the total number of candidates from whom election addresses have been accepted by you by the last time for delivery of nomination papers for the election exceeds 15, the version of the address that is contained on one side of A5 must be used for all candidates.20

You must consider whether all of the above requirements have been complied with. If any requirement has not been complied with you must not include that election address in the booklet.21

You must produce a booklet with the election addresses of all candidates who have submitted a valid election address to you by the last time for the delivery of nomination papers.22 The order of the addresses in the booklet must, by law, be decided by you by drawing lots.23 Lots must be drawn as soon as reasonably practicable after the last time for the delivery of nomination papers.24

You may require candidates to contribute to the printing of the booklet.25 The amount of the payment that you require is to be decided by you and you should be clear how that payment is to be made. The amount must be:

• reasonable 
• the same for each candidate
• based on a contribution made by candidates towards the expenses incurred in printing the booklet (and not include any amount relating to the postage or delivery of the booklet)26

You should decline to include any candidate’s election address where the payment has not been made as you require.

You may include in the booklet, along with the candidate’s election addresses, your own statement.27

Your statement may include:

• an explanation of the purpose of the booklet
• an alphabetical list of all candidates at the election (whether or not they are in the booklet)
• the date of the election and the deadlines for registration and absent voting applications
• any other information that you determine28

You must include a statement that it is published by you and giving your name and address and that of your printer.28

You must notify every election agent of a candidate who has provided an election address and where you have accepted it for inclusion in the booklet of the time and place where they may check the election addresses in the booklet and submit typographical corrections to the proof of the booklet before it is printed.29

You may, if any candidate and their agent do not review the proof, make your own correction of typographical errors in an election address if you think it is appropriate.30 You should attempt to contact the candidate or agent to clarify your corrections but it is not a legal requirement to do so.31

You must print the booklet and place each copy in an envelope.32 You must then deliver one copy to each elector on the electoral register who is eligible to vote at the election.33 The postage or delivery costs must be paid by the local authority (either directly or by reclaim/invoice).34

You should keep a record of the costs of printing the booklet separately from all other costs. If the payments made by the candidates exceed the total cost of printing, the balance must be divided equally between the candidates and returned to them.35

Candidates who withdraw before the deadline for withdrawals must have all of the payment they have made returned to them and should not be included in the booklet.36