Getting Your Candidate Nominated
Getting your candidate nominated The following paperwork needs to be completed correctly and submitted on time: nomination papers candidate’s consent to nomination deposit (not for…
Group Membership
Why not get a quote for your council group or local party? What do group members receive? ALL the individual member benefits – PLUS: 12%…
Handing in Your Election Return
Guidance from 2015 is available here. Handing in your election return Keep a copy of your returns. This is useful both in case of queries…
How the Count Works – Stage 1
How the count works The count takes place in two stages: Stage 1 – The verification At this stage the ballot papers in each ballot…
How the Count Works – Stage 2
How the count works The count takes place in two stages: Stage 2 – Sorting Once the verification has been completed, the ballot papers will…
How to complete the local election nomination form
Completing local election nomination papers is not complex but there are a few pitfalls to avoid. Every year we hear from people who have missed…
How to fill in the Certificate of Indentification also known as the DNO form
1.The Delegated Nominating Officer (DNO) is the one appointed by your local party – they should have notified the Returning Officer who they are. Each…
How to fill in the Local Elections Candidates Consent to Nomination
1. The candidate must be a UK, Commonwealth or EU citizen and over 18 on nomination day. 2. to 5. Only one of these categories…
How to fill in the notification of local election agent form
This form is pretty straight forward. The only thing to look out for is the rules around the office address. See these articles for more…
How to Process Donations
How to process donations The agent must be handed all donations and donation details, which should go through the agent’s account. The agent will then…
Hustings
During general elections (and occasionally, but rarely local elections), it is quite common for there to be a series of election hustings where they invite…
If the Opposition Commits an Electoral Offence
If the opposition commits an offence Don’t waste too much campaigning time during the election Don’t be deflected from your campaigning. An election campaign is…
If You May Have Committed an Offence
If you may have committed an offence It is possible to apply to the courts for relief, on grounds of relevant illness or inadvertence. A…
If your candidate may have been defamed
Stop, pause for breath and pause again. Being on the receiving end of a nasty personal attack, it can be hard to judge the situation…
IFTTT (If This Then That) – online efficiency tool
What is IFTTT? IFTTT is a (free) online automation service that allows users to improve the efficiency of their online activities. IFTTT stands for “If…
Imprints and the Law
Imprints – Applies to physical literature only, for online use see ‘Digital Imprints‘ During an election all literature for voters must bear an imprint. The…
Individual Electoral Registration
What is Individual Electoral Registration (IER)? Individual Electoral Registration replaces the old system of household registration – where one person in each household was meant…
Inspection by the public of Nominations Forms
Nomination papers are available for public inspection up to and including the day before the poll. During this period the nomination papers may have details…
Is my parliamentary constituency a “County” or a “Burgh/Borough” seat?
In UK parliamentary elections the limit on election expenditure varies according to whether your constituency is deemed to be a “County” or “Borough” seat. Do…
Issue of postal ballots
Issue of postal votes Postal vote ballot papers must be posted out by the authorities with provision (for postal votes sent to UK addresses) for…
Knocking Up
To win in most local elections we need to get a better turnout of our supporters than the opposition does (differential turnout). Our list of…
Leaflets on Polling Day
Leaflets on polling day You can deliver leaflets when the polls are open, and no special rules apply to content, except that you may not…
Lifts to the Polls
Lifts to the polls Vehicles can be hired to take voters to the polls, and vehicles normally used for hire may be used by their…
Literature, Media and the Law: Defamation
Defamation What is defamation? Defamation is the blanket term that covers libel and slander, the difference being the permanence of the offending item. Libel encompasses…
Local By-Elections – Filling Vacancies on Principal Councils
Most electoral law applies in the same way to by-elections as it does to the other elections at the same level of government Filling vacancies…
Local Party Activities – Adopting the Candidate
Adopting the candidate A prospective candidate will usually have been selected some time ahead of the campaign. At the start of the campaign the membership…
Local Party Activities – After the Election
After the election Aside from submitting election expense returns, after the election the marked register, showing who voted, is available as is a marked register…
Local Party Activities – Ceding Decision Making During an Election
Ceding decision making during an election It is wise to get the local party to pass a formal motion making it clear that during the…
Local Party Activities – Fundraising During an Election
Fundraising during an election Ongoing and long-standing events With many ongoing fundraisers like 200 Clubs, it is preferable anyway, and sometimes mandatory, to have a…
Local Party Activities – Insurance
Insurance The party’s central insurance policy covers you for a range of items, including: Personal accidents, Thefts of money, and Public liability (the cost of…
Making the Most of Community Rights
The Localism Act and the Sustainable Communities Act give new powers to Councils and Local people. These new powers are additional tools in our arsenal…
Making the Most of New Party Members
The sudden influx of new members into the party has been a joy to see, but it has also left a few people scratching their…