Candidates and agents
Briefing
Local government elections
Topics
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Who’s who
Election timetable
Qualifications
Disqualifications
Nominations
Agents
Postal votes
Day of poll
Single Transferable Vote
Counting of votes
Campaign spending
Contacts
Who’s who
• The Returning Officer is the person
responsible for running the election. The
Returning Officer is [insert name].
• The Electoral Registration Officer is
responsible for maintaining the register of
electors and absent voters’ lists. The
Electoral Registration Officer is [insert
name].
• Contact details will be given at the end
Election
Timetable
Publication of notice of election
Not earlier than
[E-35] and not
later than [E-28]
Nominations commence
[The morning
after the notice of
election is
published]
Close of nominations / last time to withdraw
4pm – [E-23]
Notification of appointment of election agents
4pm – [E-23]
Publication of notice of poll/situation of polling
stations
Soon after 4pm –
[E-23]
Deadline for new postal votes/changes to
existing postal or proxy votes
5pm – [E-11]
Deadline for applications to register to vote
Midnight – [E-12]
Election
timetable
(cont’d)
Deadline for applications for new proxy votes
5pm – [E-6]
Appointment of counting and polling agents
[E-5]
Polling day
[Date] –
7am to
10pm
Deadline to apply for new applications to
vote by proxy on grounds of medical
emergency
5pm –
polling day
Replacement for lost/spoilt postal votes ends
5pm –
polling day
Alterations to register to correct clerical error
9pm –
polling day
Return of candidate spending return
+ 35 days
from result
Getting nominated
Qualifications
• Candidates must satisfy criteria on day they are
nominated:
– At least 18 years of age
– British, qualifying Commonwealth (with indefinite
leave to remain), EU member state citizen
• Also at least one of the following:
– Registered local government elector for local
authority area
– Occupied as owner or tenant any land or premises
in the local authority area during the whole 12
months preceding nomination
– Principal or only place of work (including unpaid)
during last 12 months in local authority area
– Lived in local authority area during the last 12
months.
Disqualifications
• A person cannot be a candidate if they:
– received a severance payment under the Local
Governance (Scotland) Act 2004
– hold a politically restricted post
– have had their estate sequestrated by a court in
Scotland, been adjudged bankrupt by a court
elsewhere, or are the subject of a bankruptcy
restrictions order or undertaking (unless recalled,
reduced or discharged, see Electoral Commission
guidance)
– they have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment
of three months or more (inc. suspended sentence)
without option of a fine, during the 5 years before
polling day
– have been disqualified by a decision of the Accounts
Commission or the Standards Commission
– Are serving a disqualification due to being found guilty
of a corrupt or illegal practice by an election court
Submitting
nomination
papers
• Nomination forms must be submitted by
all candidates by 4pm - [E-23]
• Party candidates will also need to submit,
by 4pm – [E-23]:
– A certificate authorising the use of a party
name/ registered description on the ballot
paper
– A written request to use one of the party’s
emblems on the ballot paper (optional)
Submitting
nomination
papers
• ! Make sure the nomination papers are
filled in correctly, as mistakes may
invalidate your nomination.
• To arrange an informal check, contact the
elections office (details provided later)
Nomination
form
– Include your full name & home address
– Optional: use commonly used name
box(es) if commonly known by a name
other than full name and wish to use it
instead
– Description field – 3 options:
• leave blank
• Independent
• party candidates can use party name or
registered description authorised by a
certificate issued by or on behalf of the
Nominating Officer
Nomination
form
• Must also include:
– which ward you are standing in
– confirmation of qualification(s) that apply
(at least 1, but complete all that apply)
– candidate’s signature
– witness’ name, address and signature
Certificate of
authorisation
• Party candidates must have written permission to use
the party name/description from the Nominating Officer
(or a person appointed to act on their behalf)
• The certificate may:
– allow the use of the party name or a particular
description
– allow candidate to choose whether to use the party
name or any of the descriptions registered with the
Electoral Commission
• Must be submitted by 4pm – [E-23]
Emblem
request form
• Party candidates can ask for an emblem to be printed
on the ballot paper
• Emblem request form must be submitted by 4pm [E-23]
• Party candidates should supply an electronic version of
the emblem to the Returning Officer if required
Joint
candidates
• Nominated by more than one party
• May use registered joint descriptions
– must be supported by certificate of
authorisation from each party
• May use one emblem of one of the parties
but there are no joint emblems
Campaigning
Election agent • Responsible for the proper management
of your election campaign; particularly its
financial management.
• Notification of appointment must reach the
Returning Officer by 4pm - [E-23]. Form is
included in nomination pack.
• You will become your own agent by
default if none is appointed.
Other agents
• Other agents can be appointed to attend
postal vote openings, polling stations and
the count on your behalf:
– The RO requires notice in writing of any
people appointed as polling and counting
agents by [E-5].
– The appointment of postal voting agents
attending a particular opening session
must be made before the start of the
session. The RO will give 48 hours’ notice.
– Forms are available for notifying the RO.
• Access by candidates – once you
Access to
officially become a candidate:
electoral
– earliest, on [date of publication of notice of
register/absent
election] if you, or others declared yourself
voting lists
a candidate; or
– once you or others have declared yourself
a candidate after this date or date you
submit your nomination papers, whichever
is earliest
• Make written request to the ERO – forms
are available from the office / are included
in your nomination pack.
Access to
electoral
register /
absent voting
lists
• Only use data for permitted purposes
including to help you campaign
Campaigning
• Use imprints on all your campaign
material, including websites.
• Comply with planning rules relating to
advertising hoardings and large banners.
• Make sure outdoor posters are removed 2
weeks after the election.
• Do not produce material that looks like a
poll card.
• Do not pay people to display your adverts
(unless they display adverts as part of
their normal business).
Postal votes and polling
day
Postal votes
• Code of conduct – no candidate or supporter should put
themselves in a position where their honesty or integrity,
or that of the candidate or party, can be questioned
• For security reasons, absent voters are required to
provide signature and date of birth on applications
– these are stored electronically and checked against
the postal voting statement returned with the postal
vote
• It is important that any received applications are
returned to the electoral registration office or postal vote
packs are returned to the elections office as soon as
possible to ensure adequate time for processing
• If you are considering printing your own application
forms, they must contain all the legislative requirements
Postal votes
(cont.)
• Postal vote openings
– [insert venue, date and times of openings]
• Each candidate may appoint [x] agents to
observe the opening of postal votes
• Appointments must be delivered before
the opening session is due to begin
Polling day
• Polling stations open from 7am to 10pm
• Office open [x]am to [x]pm for queries or problems
relating to the administration of the election
– any queries relating to election spending
issues, contact the Electoral Commission
(contact details shown later)
• Tellers
• Postal votes – can be handed into polling stations
within the council area or delivered to the elections
office until 10pm.
Voting and counting
Single
Transferable
Vote (STV)
• Voters will rank candidates in their order
of preference using numbers
(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc).
• Voters can rank as many or as few
candidates as they wish.
• The same number cannot be used twice
and there should not be a break in the
sequence.
Ballot papers
BALLOTSHIRE COUNCIL: ANYTOWN & DISTRICT WARD
Three of the candidates listed below will be elected.
You can make as many or as few choices as you wish.
Put the number 1 in the voting box next to your first choice.
Put the number 2 in the voting box next to your second choice.
Put the number 3 in the voting box next to your third choice. And so on.
ANDERSON Hans
57 Easter Road, Anytown
Rowan Party
CRANSTON Helen
912 Main Street, Anytown
Beech Party
FLEMING Douglas Martin
112 South Street, Anytown
Independent
HAMILTON Flora
45 Hill Place, Anytown
Willow Party
KUMAR Kuldip
3 Castle Wynd, Anytown
Elm Party
The Count
• [insert local arrangements for the counting of
local government election votes: when, where
etc.]
• Count centre will open to candidates, agents and
observers from [x]
• The count will be held in:
– [insert count centre location/address]
• Candidates, election agents, counting agents and
one other person appointed by the candidate are
entitled to attend.
-
limits to number of counting agents: [X]
The count
• Ballot papers will be counted electronically
• [Give a brief overview of the count process,
including the procedure for recounts]
• [Give details of any demonstration sessions]
• [Give details of what will be available at the count
to help them follow the process e.g. count liaison
officers, booklets, flowcharts, etc.]
STV
• Weighted Inclusive Gregory method of
counting
•
•
•
•
The quota
The count procedure
Transfer of surpluses and transfer values
Exclusion of candidates
Single
Transferable
Vote (STV)
Ward
Electorate
Turnout
Votes
cast
Number of
members
Quota
Anytown & District
7,500
60%
4,500
3
1,126
Polltown
10,000
53%
5,300
4
1,061
Voteburgh North
11,000
49%
5,390
4
1,079
Voteburgh South
8,000
40%
3,200
3
801
Transfer values
– surplus
Transfer values • Votes transferred from excluded
candidates usually have a value of 1
– exclusion
• If the vote was transferred to the
excluded candidate at a value of less
than 1, further transfers will be at that
smaller value
Count the first
preferences for
each candidate
The count
process
Quota reached by
any candidate?
Have enough
candidates
been elected?
Transfer surplus
to next available
preferences
No
Yes
Yes
No
Declare
results
Eliminate candidate
with lowest vote
and redistribute
next available
preferences
Anytown & District
3 member ward
Quota = 1382
First
prefs
Surplus of
HAMILTON
Surplus of
CRANSTON
Anderson
(Rowan)
765
144.
909.
88307 88307
0.
67134
Cranston
(Beech)
1396
1396
-14
Fleming
(Ind)
779
88.
867.
47269 47269
11.
36268
Hamilton
(Willow)
1821
Kumar
(Elm)
NonTransfers
Total
-439
1382
Exclusion of
KUMAR
910.
398.
55441 20389
1382
878.
111.
83537 50759
1382
Exclusion of
FLEMING
1308.
75830
1382
990.
34296
52.
816.
79433 79433
0.
18036
816. -816.
97469 97469
0
0
152.
152.
84991 84991
1.
78562
154.
307.
63553 26321
461.
89874
5525
5525
5525
1787. Elected
05454
1382 Elected
-990.
34296
1382
764
5525
478.
29624
0
1382 Elected
0
512.
04672
973.
94546
5525
Spending issues
Candidates’
spending
• Defined as certain expenditure ‘used for
the purposes of the candidate’s election’
after the date they become a candidate
• Responsibility of election agent
• Spending limits [caveat]:
– £705 + 6 pence per elector in ward on
register in force on [insert date of last day
for publishing notice of election]
– reduced for joint candidates
• Must get and keep receipts (over £20)
Campaign
spending
returns
• Returns due 35 days after result of
election
• Returns made public by Returning
Officer
• Failure to submit a campaign
spending return is an offence
• Successful candidates who fail to
submit returns may not sit or vote in
the council
Contacts
Contacts
• Elections office – [insert]
• Electoral registration office – [insert]
• Highways department – [insert]
• Electoral Commission
– Scotland Office - 0131 225 0200
Questions
Thank you
Please ensure you take your candidate’s pack for guidance