EA Bulletin: 407 England

Returning Officers

Further to Bulletin 401, we have updated the supporting resources for Returning Officers for the scheduled local government polls taking place on 1 May 2025. These updates reflect the changes to the list of the accepted photographic ID as set out in The Voter Identification (Amendment of List of Specified Documents) Regulations 2024. This update also includes the addition of eVisas as a valid form of biometric immigration document.

The updated resources include the polling station handbook and related training resources. The related resources include items such as the updated template briefing slides for polling station staff and front-line staff FAQs. Please note that this is not the final print-ready version of the polling station handbook. This is a final text version, which reflects the postal vote handing in process, that is being made available to support administrators in planning their polling station staff training. As in previous years, hard copies of the polling station handbook will be distributed in March.

If you require any further support, please contact your local Commission team who will be happy to help. 

Candidates and Agents 

As part of our plans to expand the provision of our guidance, we are developing an animated guide to support the completion of nomination papers.  This is the first of a new set of digital resources that we are developing to support candidates and agents. These resources can be used to complement your briefings and local guidance. 

We will be launching these at the end of the month, so you are able to circulate the links to candidates and agents. We will notify you through the Bulletin when they are available.

This month we are also publishing an additional page of guidance summarising the election agent’s responsibilities for campaign finances. This is a resource for candidates to share with anyone they have approached to be their agent. This guidance serves as an introduction to the financial responsibilities of election agents. This guidance is helpful for those who are acting as, or considering acting as, agents for the first time. This guidance will help agents familiarise themselves with the controls on candidate spending and donations. It will also answer the frequently asked questions we received during the 2024 elections.

You can find information on what you need to know before you become an election agent, here. If you have any queries, or need any further support, please contact your local Commission team. 

The government published the devolution white paper in December 2024, which invited councils to submit their interest in taking part in a priority programme for new devolution plans.  On 5 February 2025, the Secretary of State announced that applications from 9 local authorities had been accepted. Legislation has now been laid in Parliament to postpone the polls scheduled for 1 May 2025 until 7 May 2026. The legislation extends the terms of office for existing councillors until May 2026, and requires that where any current casual vacancy exists that would have been filled in May 2025, the by-election is held between 4 March 2025 and 1 May 2025.

Those Returning Officers impacted by the postponement will need to ensure that they manage their local arrangements appropriately. To support these Returning Officers, members of the Commission’s English Regional Teams will be getting in touch directly to discuss the next steps such as the management of your communications plans for electors, candidates and agents, your arrangements with suppliers and contractors and arrangements for any by-elections.

Returning Officers in areas where plans were not accepted will have been continuing to plan for the delivery of the polls as normal. However, if the announcement has caused any issues or concerns regarding the delivery of your elections locally, please contact us and we will be happy to help. 

We have published a variety of resources to help local authorities and civil society partners support people to take part in the May 2025 polls.  Our resources cover registering to vote, voter ID, and what to expect at the polling station.  

Voter registration resources

Our advertising campaign is going live on Monday 17 February 2025. To complement this, we have produced resources to promote voter registration. Our voter registration resources are embargoed until the campaign launches on 17 February 2025 and cannot be used externally until after this date.

Voter registration resources include:

• posters in a ready to print format and a commercial format
• digital assets. These include social media assets, web banners and email signatures

You can download our voter registration resources here

Voter ID resources

These resources can be used to raise awareness of the need for photo ID when voting in person. They are designed to help voters who are less likely to have an accepted form of ID, and the people who support them. However, the resources also contain information relevant to all voters.

Voter ID resources include:  

• a new ‘Guide to Elections’ (which includes information on the voter ID requirement)
• an A5 insert summarising the voter ID requirement for use in mailings for example  
• posters, social media graphics and template social media messages
• template press releases
• information in various languages and accessible formats

You can download your voter ID resources here.

Anonymous voter resources  

We have also created resources tailored to the needs of people who are registered to vote anonymously. These resources are also helpful for those who are not currently registered anonymously but may be interested in doing so (such as domestic violence survivors).  

Voter information resources

We have updated our voter information resources, that you can use to share key messages regarding the local elections in England on 1 May.

These include social media graphics and posters which cover themes such as ways to vote, finding your polling place, things to remember when voting in person, and much more.