Guidance for Returning Officers administering Local Government Elections in England

Print full guidance

Notice of election

You must publish the notice of election by not later than 25 working days before the poll.1 You can produce a separate notice for each ward or you can produce a combined notice including all of the wards in the local authority area with elections. 

The notice of election must include the following:2    

  • the place and times at which nomination papers can be delivered, and at which nomination papers may be obtained 
  • the date of the poll if the election is contested
  • the date by which applications for absent votes (including emergency proxies) and any cancellations or changes to absent voting arrangements must reach the ERO in order to be effective for the election.

The notice of election should also include the date by which applications for registration and Voter Authority Certificates or Anonymous Elector's Documents must reach the ERO in order to be effective for the election.

The address given for the delivery of nomination papers should be exact, and include any room number. This will avoid any doubt should nominations be delivered close to the deadline. You should inform all reception staff at offices of the building and other connected buildings that they should not take receipt of nomination papers. 

We have developed the following template notice of election which you can use:

Notice of Election - Local Government Elections in England (DOCX)

The notice must also state any arrangements which apply for the payment of the deposit by electronic means.3 We have prepared the following template notice of election for local authority mayoral elections that you can use:

Notice of Election - Local Authority Mayoral elections in England

The CARO/CARO must publish the notice of election for the combined authority or combined county authority mayoral election by not later than twenty-five working days before the poll.4  The CARO/CARO should prepare and send you a copy of the notice of election, which you should publish locally in the local authority area so that electors in your part of the combined authority/combined county authority area can easily access it.

At a Mayoral Referendum, the notice of referendum must, by law, state:

  • the date of the poll
  • the date by which applications to vote by post or proxy (including emergency proxies), must reach the ERO in order to be effective for the referendum5  

The notice should also include the date by which applications for registration must reach the ERO in order to be effective for the referendum.

Last updated: 14 March 2024