UK Parliamentary general election media guide

Candidates in a general election, on polling day, must be: 

• at least 18 years old; and
• a British citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or a qualifying Commonwealth citizen  

Candidates are not required to be registered to vote, or to live in the parliamentary constituency in which they wish to stand. 

The rules around standing for election and the disqualifications are complex. Further information can be found in the Electoral Commission’s guidance for candidates and agents. 

The earliest that a person can officially become a candidate is on the day that the UK Parliament is dissolved.

Prospective candidates may be selected by their party or announce their intention to stand before this date. 

Once an election is called, all prospective candidates must submit the following to the (acting) returning officer (A)RO for the constituency they want to stand in by the relevant deadline, with:

• a completed nomination form (prospective candidates cannot submit the nomination form until the date stated on the notice of election)
• a completed home address form
• their consent to nomination 
• a deposit of £500

Candidates standing for a political party must also submit:

• a certificate from the political party authorising the use of the party name or a party description as registered with the Electoral Commission 
• a written request to use one of the party’s registered emblems (optional) 

Candidates standing for a political party can request the use of a party name or description on the ballot paper, but they cannot request both. Candidates in Wales may use either the English version, Welsh version or both versions of either the party name or description, as long as they are registered with the Commission. 

Independent candidates may only use the word ‘Independent’ (and/or ‘Annibynnol’ in Wales) as their description on the ballot paper; or they can choose not to have a description. They decide this when they complete their nomination form. 

Only those political parties registered with the Electoral Commission can have their name and approved descriptions and emblems on a ballot paper. If a party is not registered with the Commission, it can still campaign at elections, but any candidates it wants to stand on its behalf would have either nothing or ‘Independent’ (and/or ‘Annibynnol’ in Wales) next to their name, rather than a party name.

No, a person may stand as an independent candidate, i.e. not for any political party.

The regulated period is the period in the run up to an election during which electoral spending rules apply to campaigning. Political parties must report all spending which takes place during this period. It begins 365 before a general election. 

The amount a political party that is contesting the general election in the Great Britain can spend is the greater of either: 

• a fixed amount, as defined below

or 

• £54,010 multiplied by the number of seats a party is contesting in each part of Great Britain. Each part of Great Britain has a separate limit based on the number of seats a party is contesting in each area. 

Fixed amount

£54,010 multiplied by the number of seats a party is contesting

For example:

A party is contesting 200 constituencies in England, 20 constituencies in Scotland and 10 constituencies in Wales. The party’s spending limit would be greater than the fixed amount shown in the first table. 

Party spending includes, among other things, the cost of: 

• party advertising of any kind, such as posters, newspaper adverts, websites, online display advertising, promoted social media posts or YouTube videos 
• unsolicited material sent to voters, such as letters, leaflets or emails that are not sent in response to specific queries 

Further information on which activities count towards the spending limit can be found in our guidance for political parties.

Before a party accepts any donation or loan of more than £500, it must take all reasonable steps to make sure it knows the identity of the true source and to check that the source is permissible. The party has the legal obligation to check permissibility prior to accepting donations. 

There are no limits on the number of donations a party can receive, however parties can only accept a donation from a permissible donor. A permissible donor is: 

• an individual registered on a UK electoral register, including those overseas and those leaving bequests 
• a UK registered company which is incorporated within the UK and carries on business in the UK 
• a UK registered trade union 
• a GB registered political party 
• a UK registered building society 
• a UK registered limited liability partnership that carries on business in the UK 
• a UK registered friendly society, or industrial and provident society 
• a UK based unincorporated association that carries on business in the UK 

In addition, political parties in Northern Ireland can take donations from Irish citizens and UK or Irish companies.

Political parties must report their spending to the Electoral Commission. The deadline for reporting spending of £250,000 or under is three months from polling day. The deadline for reporting spending over £250,000 is six months from polling day. 

Political parties’ central HQs must submit weekly donation and loan reports setting out what donations and loans they have received over £11,180 from the dissolution of Parliament until polling day. The Commission will publish these on a weekly basis during the campaign.

The regulated period is the period in the run up to an election during which electoral spending rules apply to campaigning. Candidates must report all spending which takes place during this period. 

There may be two regulated periods for candidates, known as the ‘long campaign’ and ‘short campaign’, during which spending limits apply. 

If Parliament has not been dissolved by 18 July 2024, the ‘long campaign’ will start on that date. A limit applies to candidate spending during this period, depending on when Parliament is dissolved. The long campaign ends on the date that a person officially becomes a candidate. 

The short campaign for candidates standing will begin the day after a person officially becomes a candidate and ends on polling day.

The earliest date a person can officially become a candidate is the day the UK Parliament is dissolved. 

If an individual’s intention to stand as a candidate is not announced before the day parliament is dissolved, the short campaign will begin either from the day they announce their intention to stand or the date they are nominated as a candidate, whichever is earliest.

In November 2023, the UK Government made changes to spending limits. The new limits for candidates are:

• UKPGE (short campaign): £11,390 + 8p (borough) / 12p (county) per elector
• UKPGE (long campaign): Maximum £40,220 + 8p (borough) /12p (county) per elector

The long campaign limit depends on the date of the dissolution of Parliament. For more information, please see our guidance.

Spending by candidates to promote their candidacy before the regulated period for candidates starts is not regulated, and does not have to be reported.

Any spending by a party promoting their candidates before the candidate’s regulated period starts will fall under the rules for party spending. 

Further guidance on party and candidate spending can be found on the Commission’s website.  

The number of voters in a particular constituency is based on the electoral register as it stands on the last date that the notice of election can be published.  

Candidates can contact their local elections office to request the most up-to-date number of electors to help them plan their spending during the campaign.

Candidate spending includes, among other things, the costs of:

• advertising of any kind, such as posters, newspaper adverts, websites or social media
• unsolicited material sent to voters, such as letters, leaflets or emails that are not sent in response to specific queries

Further information on which activities count towards the spending limit can be found in our guidance for candidates and agents.

Candidates must ensure that any donation worth more than £50 is only accepted if it is from a permissible source. Donations that are not from a permissible source must be returned to the donor within 30 days. After that, the donation may be forfeited. 

Permissible donors in the UK are defined as: 

• an individual on a UK electoral register 
• a GB registered political party 
• a UK registered trade union 
• a UK registered building society 
• a UK registered limited liability partnership 
• a UK registered friendly society 
• a UK based unincorporated association 
• a UK registered company which is incorporated within the EU and carries on business in the UK

Candidates are not required to declare donations with a value of £50 or less in their spending and donations return. There are no limits on the number of donations a candidate can accept during the UKPGE.

Sometimes. Spending is not typically counted against both the candidate’s and the party’s spending limit. An item of spending will generally fall into one category or the other: 

• spending on activity that promotes the candidate is likely to count towards the candidate’s spending limit – for example, a letter sent to voters introducing the candidate and their local policies 
• spending on activity that promotes the party and not the candidate is likely to be covered by the rules on

party campaign expenditure – for example, a local newspaper advertisement that features the party’s national policies and logo, but does not mention the local candidate or specifically targeted local issues 

During the short campaign, political parties can only spend up to £700 promoting a particular candidate in each constituency without the authorisation of that candidate’s agent. Where a political party spends money promoting a particular candidate with the authorisation of the agent, then that spend will count towards the candidate’s spending limit. For more information, please see our guidance for political parties.

Many political parties run a local ‘fighting fund’ for their candidate. If the fund is managed and controlled by the party and not the candidate, then donations to the fund are usually treated as having been made to the party, unless the donations are specially made towards the candidate’s campaign. 

However, during the regulated period, any donations above £50 made by the party to a candidate must be reported in the candidate’s spending return.

Agents for candidates must submit their short campaign spending returns to their (A)RO within 35 days of the election result being declared. 

If no spending is incurred, a nil return must be submitted by the agent. 

Exceeding the spending limit can be a criminal offence. Allegations relating to the Representation of the People Act (RPA) 1983, including candidate spending offences, are generally for the relevant local police force to consider. 

Whilst the Electoral Commission has a statutory duty to monitor compliance with parts of the RPA relating to candidate and agent expenses, it is not legally empowered to investigate and impose sanctions for offences under the RPA. 

The Commission’s guidance for candidates and agents contains further information on spending and donations for candidates.

Non-party campaigners are individuals and organisations that campaign in the run up to elections but do not stand as political parties or candidates. 

There are two types of non-party campaigns and certain rules apply to their spending within the regulated period. These are: 

• Local campaigns: non-party campaigns for or against a candidate in a particular constituency. For example, if a local alliance campaigns for a candidate in their constituency
• General campaigns: non-party campaigns for or against a political party, or particular categories of candidate, including campaigns on policies or issues closely associated with a particular party or category of candidates. For example, an issue-based campaign group campaigns against a political party across the whole of the UK 

Local campaigns are regulated by the police. General campaigns are regulated by the Electoral Commission. 

The Commission has published guidance for non-party campaigners to promote their understanding of the rules and support them to campaign with confidence all year-round.

Non-party campaigners must register with the Commission if they intend to spend more than £10,000 on regulated activity during the regulated period.

Spending on the following activities can be regulated:

• election material
• canvassing and market research
• public rallies or public events
• press conferences or other media events 
• transport in connection with publicising your campaign

Further guidance on the tests which determine if spending is regulated can found on the Commission’s website.

The spending limit for local campaigns by non-party campaigners is £700 in a constituency. This limit applies from the date Parliament is dissolved.

Campaigners spending more than a certain amount on general campaigning have to register with the Electoral Commission.

Only registered non-party campaigners can spend over £10,000 across the UK. On registration, a campaigner can declare that they will not spend over the reporting thresholds below.

The spending limits for registered non-party campaigners are:

During the regulated period for a general election, the maximum amount a registered or unregistered non-party campaigner can spend on general regulated campaign activity in a particular parliamentary constituency is £17,553.

Registered non-party campaigners can only accept donations of over £500 given for regulated activity, if they are from a permissible source. They must report any donations that total over £7,500 to the Electoral Commission. These donations are reported along with spending after the poll. 

Non-party campaigners must report spending and donations if they intend to spend more than £20,000 in England or £10,000 in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. When they register with the Commission, campaigners may declare that they will not spend more than the reporting thresholds.

Registered non-party campaigners must report donations received during the regulated period over a certain value to the Electoral Commission before the date of the poll. This is called ‘pre-poll reporting’. 

Registered non-party campaigners spending over the reporting threshold must submit donation reports setting out what donations they have received over £7,500. The reporting period began on 17 December 2023 (or the date of registration, if later). Reporting is done in quarters starting from that date. When Parliament is dissolved, the last quarterly report will end, and campaigners must submit weekly reports from the date of the dissolution of Parliament until polling day. The Commission will publish these on a weekly basis during the campaign.

For more information, please see our guidance.

Registered non-party campaigners that have spent £250,000 or less must submit their return to the Electoral Commission by three months of the poll. The deadline for reporting spending over £250,000 is six months after the poll.

As at all elections, it is illegal to make a false statement about the personal character of a candidate in order to influence the result of the election. Rules about defamation also apply to election materials.

The police may investigate allegations of the specific electoral offence of making a false statement. Defamation issues are a matter for the civil courts.

As with all elections, the Electoral Commission does not have any regulatory role in relation to the content of campaign material or what candidates say about each other.

We recognise that robust political debate is part of a healthy democracy, but sometimes things can go too far.

The Commission has worked with The National Police Chiefs Council and the Crown Prosecution Service to produce guidance documents for candidates and campaigners, to help them understand when behaviour goes beyond political debate and may be unlawful. 

• When it goes too far is a short guide which provides general advice
• Joint guidance for candidates in elections provides more detail on the nature of possible offences
• Guidance for election candidates in Scotland

By law, candidates, parties and non-party campaigners must use ‘imprints’ on all their printed election material. An imprint includes the name and address of the printer and promoter (the person who authorised the material to be printed). It must be included on all printed material such as posters, placards and leaflets. This is so that electors can be clear about the source of the campaign material. It is an offence not to include an imprint on printed election material.

Imprints are required on all paid digital political adverts. Candidates, parties, registered campaigners and some other groups are also required to include an imprint on other digital campaign material, if it meets certain tests. A digital imprint must include the name and address of the promoter and any person on behalf of whom the material is published.  

Once someone becomes a candidate, they are entitled to receive, free of charge, a copy of the full electoral register and the lists of people voting by post or proxy (the absent voters’ lists) for the constituency that they are contesting.

Candidates may only use the full electoral register to help them complete their nomination form, to campaign and to check that donations they receive come from a permissible source. 

Yes, candidates are entitled to one free mailing (by Royal Mail) to voters in the constituency they are contesting. This includes: 

• one unaddressed election communication of up to 60 grams to every postal address, or 
• one election communication of up to 60 grams addressed to each voter

Candidates contact Royal Mail directly to make the arrangements for their leaflets. The costs of the material itself is not covered, only the postage.

Hustings can be organised by anyone, and are events designed to give the public an opportunity to hear from the candidates or parties standing for election in their constituency. 

There is no legal requirement for the person organising a husting to invite all candidates or parties standing in a constituency. However, spending on hustings may be regulated depending on how it is organised. This may happen where the organiser selectively invites or excludes candidates or parties. 

Those organising a hustings should give thought to how they will ensure the safety and security of the representatives who attend the event, as well as its accessibility for voters.

The Commission has further guidance on the organisation of hustings.

Television broadcasters decide how many party election broadcasts (PEBs) are allocated to political parties. 

Political parties pay for and produce the content of PEBs, which must observe the law on, for example, copyright, defamation, contempt, obscenity and incitement to racial hatred or violence. 

They must comply with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code and the BBC Editorial Guidelines that relate to harm and offence and fairness and privacy. More information is available on the Broadcasters’ Liaison Group website.

News reports, features and editorials in print or online media are not subject to electoral law, and do not fall with the remit of the Electoral Commission. Ofcom is responsible for regulating TV and radio, and the Independent Press Standards Organisations regulates most UK newspapers and magazines. 

TV, radio and online debates between party leaders are a matter for the relevant broadcasters and newspapers. The Electoral Commission has no regulatory role in relation to debates between party leaders or party election broadcasts.  

A person can register to vote at a general election if they are: 

• aged 18 or over on polling day; and 
• a British citizen resident in the UK; or
• an Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen resident in the UK

British citizens living overseas who have previously been either registered to vote, or resident in the UK can register as overseas electors and vote. Service voters stationed abroad can also register and vote.  

Voters can register to vote online or by completing a paper registration form. They can contact their electoral registration office for forms or download them from the UK Government’s website. 

Electoral registration office contact details can be found using the postcode look-up tool on the Electoral Commission’s website.

You can be registered to vote at two different addresses, however you can only vote in one place in a general election. It is an offence to vote twice in a general election.

Service personnel and their spouses or civil partners, serving in the UK or overseas, can register either at their home address or their barracks in the usual way, or as a ‘service voter’. Service voters fill out an armed services declaration so they can be registered when away from their home address on duty. 

Remand prisoners (those who have not been convicted and sentenced) can vote. Convicted prisoners detained because of their sentence cannot vote at a general election.

In some limited circumstances, prisoners released on temporary licence may meet the criteria to register to vote. 

All polling stations open at 7am and close at 10pm. 

Any voter who arrives at their polling station and is in a queue waiting to vote at 10pm will be able to vote. 

At a general election, the first-past-the-post electoral system is used. 

Voters should mark their ballot paper with a single ‘X’ in the box next to the candidate they wish to represent their constituency in the House of Commons.

In person 

Registered voters can visit their local polling station between 7am and 10pm on polling day to cast their vote.

Before polling day, voters will be sent a poll card which includes details of where their polling station is. Voters can only vote at the polling station specified on this card. 

Anonymous voters need to bring their poll card to the polling station, in addition to their Anonymous Elector’s

Document, it is not required of all other voters, though doing so may speed up the process. 

When a voter arrives at a polling station, a member of staff will:

•    Ask their name and address so they can find them on the electoral register
•    Ask for their photo ID, and check if it is acceptable
•    If their ID is acceptable, they will give them their ballot paper and direct them to complete it at a polling booth as usual 

By post 

If voters do not wish to, or are unable to, go to a polling station, they may apply for a postal vote by completing a form or applying online. Voters may apply for a postal vote for a specific election, a specific period of time, or for all elections in which they are eligible to vote. Postal votes for UK Parliamentary elections can be granted for a maximum of three years before they must be renewed. 

Applications for a postal vote are required to include the applicants National Insurance number as well as their date of birth and signature. These are used to confirm the applicant’s identity.   

Postal ballot papers will be sent directly to voters about a week before polling day.  Voters must also remember to complete the postal voting statement with their signature and date of birth, or their vote will not be counted. Voters should complete their ballot paper and send it back straight away, so it arrives before 10pm on polling day.

If voters don’t leave enough time to post their vote, they may take it to a polling station in their constituency from 7am to 10pm on polling day. There are restrictions on who can handle postal voting documents. Anyone handing in postal votes to the polling station, or to the relevant returning officer will be required to complete a postal vote return form. Voters are not allowed to hand in more than five postal ballot packs per poll, in addition to their own. 

Voters who cannot sign their name or cannot sign in a consistent manner can apply to the local authority to vote by post without giving a signature. This is commonly called a postal vote waiver application.  

By proxy 

Voters who can’t, or don’t want, to vote in a polling station can apply for a proxy vote. This means they ask someone they trust to vote on their behalf. Voters may apply for a postal vote for a specific election, a specific period of time, or for all elections. 

They need to complete and sign a proxy application form and return it to their local electoral registration office by the deadline. Alternatively, they can apply online for some types of proxy vote. The person voting on their behalf (their proxy) will need to show an accepted form of ID at the polling station before they can vote. 

Changes from the Elections Act mean that voters can now act as a proxy for a maximum of only four people, only two of those can be people living in the UK. 

The Commission provides guidance to polling station staff, to help them make sure that polling stations are accessible to everyone. 

Changes introduced in the Elections Act permit disabled voters to choose anyone who is over 18 to accompany them in the polling station to help them vote. The Act also changes the assistance available at polling stations. 

We consulted charities and electoral administrators, before updating our accessibility guidance for administrators, to make sure that disabled voters can access the service they are entitled to in polling stations. Our guidance aims to support returning officers to understand and identify the barriers to voting faced by disabled voters. It sets out the equipment that should be made available as a minimum at the polling station, and what other equipment or support may also be helpful to provide. This should include measures such as a tactile voting device, polling booth at wheelchair level, magnifiers and pencil grips. Returning officers must have regard to this guidance.

There is nothing in law which states whether a pen or a pencil should be used to mark a ballot paper. Pencils have been used to mark ballot papers for practical reasons: for example, with ink pens there is a chance the ink may dry out or spill. Also, ink may cause the mark which the voter has made to transfer when the ballot paper is folded, which could lead to the ballot paper being rejected. Should a voter wish to, they are able to use a pen to mark their ballot paper. 

Voters at UK general elections are now required to bring photo ID to vote at polling stations. 

A form of free ID, the Voter Authority Certificate, is available for those who do not have another type of accepted ID. Anyone without an accepted form of ID can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate online, or by requesting a paper form from their electoral registration office.

If voters lose their existing form of ID, or if it is stolen or damaged and the deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate has passed, people will be able to appoint an emergency proxy to vote on their behalf up until 5pm on polling day.

Voters who are registered to vote anonymously but wish to vote in person must have an Anonymous Elector's Document in order to vote.

Accepted forms of ID at polling stations include a UK, European Economic Area (EEA) or Commonwealth passport; a UK or EEA drivers’ licence; and some concessionary travel passes, such as an older person’s bus pass or an Oyster 60+ card. The full list is available here. Voters will be able to use expired ID if they are still recognisable from the photo.

Those that do not have an accepted form can apply for free voter ID.

The (acting) returning officer (A)RO has overall responsibility for the counting of the votes. This includes ensuring presiding officers transport ballot boxes from polling stations to the count venue in a secure and timely manner; and that those recruited to count ballot papers have been well trained in how to carry out their duties. 

The (A)RO must take reasonable steps to begin counting the votes given on the ballot papers as soon as practicable within four hours after the close of the poll. Polls close at 10pm. 

The relevant local authority will be able to provide projected count times. 

The following people are entitled by law to attend the count: 

• the (A)RO and their staff 
• candidates and one guest 
• election agents (or a sub agent on their behalf)
• counting agents 
• Electoral Commission representatives 
• accredited observers 
• any other person permitted to attend by the (A)RO 

Members of the media and photographers who want to attend a count must contact the relevant (A)RO to request permission to attend the count and declaration of the results.

There are four stages to the count process: 

1. The postal ballot boxes and ballot boxes from the polling stations arrive at the count venue. 
2. Staff carry out a verification process and ensure that the number of postal ballot papers and ballot papers matches the numbers recorded by the relevant returning officer, and by the presiding officer at the polling station respectively. 
3. The votes are counted and the results are declared by the returning officer. 
4. The acting returning officer will announce the name of the candidate with the most votes as duly elected. 

Once the verification phase of the count is complete, ballot papers will be sorted by candidate and any doubtful ballot papers will be identified. The (A)RO will adjudicate any doubtful ballot papers in the presence of candidates and agents and the Commission has provided guidance to help them do this. Any ballot papers which are considered ‘good’ in this process are returned and allocated to the relevant candidate.

The (A)RO will announce how many ballot papers were rejected when they announce the results of the election. 

It is likely that several postal vote opening sessions will take place before polling day, as well as on polling day itself.  

The (A)RO must give candidates at least 48 hours’ notice of when and where the sessions will take place. At each opening session, the (A)RO will decide whether or not the date of birth and signatures provided by electors on their postal voting statements match the signature and date of birth previously provided and held on record. If they are not satisfied that they match, the vote is rejected. 

Candidates can observe the process or appoint a postal voting agent to do so. Ballot papers are handled ‘face down’ at postal vote opening sessions. Anyone attending an opening session must not attempt to look at identifying marks or numbers on ballot papers, disclose how any particular ballot paper has been marked or pass on any such information gained from the session. 

All valid ballot papers are placed into ballot boxes and stored securely before being delivered to the count venue for counting after the close of poll.
 

Someone can challenge the result of an election by issuing an election petition. This is a legal action and will be adjudicated by a judge in court. 

A petition at a general election must normally be presented within 21 calendar days after the day on which the election was held. Further time may be allowed in certain circumstances. 

Members of the media and photographers wishing to attend and film at count events must seek advance permission from the relevant (A)RO.

The Representation of the People Act 1983 specifies a number of criminal offences relating to electoral fraud. The relevant police force for the area in which the election is taking place would investigate any allegations that an offence may have taken place.

Every police force has a designated single point of contact (known as a SPOC) to lead on election-related crime, who will give advice to local police officers. People can also choose to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Anyone, including candidates, politicians and members of the public, who has evidence of electoral fraud taking place should report it to the police immediately, using the 101 non-emergency number, unless there is a crime in progress.

Postal voters have to provide their signature and date of birth when applying for a postal vote. When casting their postal vote, they are asked again for their signature and date of birth. Both records are compared and if the returning officer is not satisfied that they match, the ballot paper is not counted.

There are also now restrictions on who can handle postal voting documents. This includes returning them to a polling station or to the relevant returning officer. From May, voters will not be allowed to hand in more than five postal ballot packs per poll, in addition to their own. Anyone handing in postal votes to the polling station or the relevant returning officer will be required to complete a postal vote return form. 

The primary responsibility lies with the (acting) returning officer and the electoral registration officer(s) for each area. They work closely with their local police force.

Guidance on policing elections has been published to support police officers and SPOCs as they put in place plans to prevent and detect electoral fraud in England and Wales. This guidance, which builds on work previously carried out by the Electoral Commission and the National Police Chiefs Council, now forms part of the College of Policing’s Authorised Professional Practice for police forces in England and Wales.

At a general election in England and Wales, the returning officer is largely a ceremonial position and is either the High Sheriff or Mayor of the local authority. 

The returning officer only receives the writ (though they can delegate this function). The writ is the order to hold an election in a constituency. The returning officer can also choose to declare the result at the end of the count and return the writ. 

The acting returning officer, who is usually a senior officer of the local authority, is responsible for the administration of the election, including the conduct of the count. 

In Scotland, the Returning Officer for a general election is the same person as the returning officer for local council elections. They are responsible for all aspects of the administration of the election. They are usually a senior officer of the local council. 

Throughout the Media Handbook, (acting) returning officer or (A)RO is used to refer to the acting returning officer in England and Wales and the Returning Officer in Scotland.

Presiding officers are appointed by local ROs to run polling stations. Duties include organising the layout of the polling station, supervising poll clerks, issuing ballot papers, assisting voters, accounting for all ballot papers and ensuring that ballot boxes are transported securely to the count venue.

The Electoral Commission is the independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK. We work to promote public confidence in the democratic process and ensure its integrity. Our role in these elections is to:  

• produce guidance for ROs and EROs
• set, monitor and report on performance standards for ROs and EROs  
• produce guidance for candidates standing for election and their agents  
• produce guidance for parties that are campaigning at the election  
• produce guidance for non-party campaigners that are campaigning at the election  
• register political parties and non-party campaigners 
• raise public awareness of the elections and how to take part in them 
• report on the conduct of the elections   
• publish details of where political parties get their money from and how they spend it