Transcript Candidates/Agents Briefing March 2015

Parliamentary General, District
and Parish/Town Council
Elections
7th May 2015
Prospective Candidates and
Agents Pre Nomination
Briefing
10th, 11th and 13th March 2015
Topics
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Key Staff
Timetable – Key Dates
Qualifications/Disqualifications
Nomination Forms
Commonly Used Names
Submitting Nomination Papers
Certificate of Authorisation
Emblem Request Form
Joint Candidates
Withdrawals
Election Agents
Registration/Absent Voting
Contacts
Questions
Key Staff
(Acting) Returning Officer/Returning Officer
Joanne Roney OBE
Deputy (Acting) Returning Officer/Deputy Returning Sandra Hardy
Officer
Deputy (Acting) Returning Officer/Deputy Returning Bernadette Livesey
Officer
Electoral Services Officers
Jacqui Milnes
Siobhan Atkinson
Electoral Services Team Leader
Andrew Raven
Chris Cooke
Electoral Services Support Assistants
Sarah Nestor
Support Assistants/Receptionists
Julie Clift
Jannine Earnshaw
Timetable – Key Dates
Parliamentary
District/Parish/Town
Publish Notice of Election
1st April
30th March
Nominations commence
10:00am 2nd April
30th March
Close of nominations and appointment 4:00pm 9th April
of election agents
4:00pm 9th April
Deadline for Withdrawal of Nomination 4:00pm 9th April
Paper
4:00pm 9th April
Publish Statement of Persons
Nominated and list of Election Agents
5:00pm 9th April
4:00pm 10th April
Publish Notice of Poll
5:00pm 9th April
28th April
Polling day
7th May – 7:00am
to 10:00pm
7th May – 7:00am to
10:00pm
Verification and Count
Start 10:00pm –
7th May
Start 10:00pm – 7th
May
Return of election expenses
12th June
12th June/4th June
Timetable – Key Dates
Deadline for applications to register to vote
20th April
Deadline for new postal vote applications /changes 5:00pm – 21st April
to existing postal or proxy vote applications
Deadline for applications for new proxy votes
5:00pm – 28th April
First date that electors can apply for replacement
for lost postal votes
30th April
Deadline to apply for new applications to vote by
proxy on grounds of medical/work emergency
5:00pm – polling day
Deadline for replacement for lost/spoilt postal
votes
5:00pm – polling day
Deadline for alterations to register to correct
clerical error(s)
9:00pm – polling day
Qualifications - Parliamentary
• Candidates must satisfy the qualification criteria on the day they
are nominated and on polling day:
- be at least 18 years old
- either be a British citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or
a qualifying Commonwealth citizen
• There is no requirement to be a registered elector in the UK
Qualifications – District, Parish and Town
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Candidates must satisfy criteria on the day they are nominated and on polling
day:
– at least 18 years of age
– British, qualifying Commonwealth citizen (with indefinite leave to remain),
national of an EU member state.
• 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 the local authority area during the last 12 months
– Parish/Town - Lived in the parish or within 3 miles of it during the
last 12 months
Disqualifications - Parliamentary
• Certain people are disqualified from becoming an MP, such as:
- civil servants
- members of police forces
- members of the armed forces
- government-nominated directors of commercial companies
- judges
- members of a foreign legislature (outside the Commonwealth)
- peers who sit and vote in the House of Lords
- those who are subject to a bankruptcy restrictions order or debt
relief restrictions order (but not those who are simply bankrupt) in
England, Wales or Northern Ireland; or those whose estate has
been sequestrated in Scotland and have not been discharged
Disqualifications – District
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A person cannot be a candidate if they:
– are employed by the local authority or hold a paid office under the authority
(including joint boards or committees). Candidates may be ‘employed by the
local authority’ if they work at certain schools, fire services, police or health
services
– are subject of a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order (or interim order) in England
or Wales
– have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three months or more
(including a suspended sentence) without option of a fine, during the 5 years
before polling day
– have been disqualified under Audit Commission Act 1998
– are serving a disqualification due to being found guilty of a corrupt or illegal
practice by an election court
– hold a politically restricted post
Disqualifications – Parish and Town
• A person cannot be a candidate if they:
- are employed by the Parish/Town Council or hold a paid office under
the Parish/Town Council (including joint boards or committees). This
would be the case if an appointment has to be confirmed by the
Parish/Town Council or a representative of the Council
- are subject of a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order (or interim order) in
England or Wales
- have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three months or
more (including a suspended sentence) without option of a fine,
during the 5 years before polling day
- have been disqualified under the Representation of the People Act
1983
- are serving a disqualification due to being found guilty of a corrupt or
illegal practice by an election court
Nomination Form - Parliamentary
• Include your full name
• Optional: complete 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 description authorised by a
certificate issued by or on behalf of the Nominating Officer
• Proposer, Seconder and 8 other Subscribers from the constituency are
required
• Must sign and print their names. Check details of subscribers against
electoral register that is valid on 1 April 2015. If they are not on that
register, they can’t subscribe your nomination. Elector number must be
included on the nomination paper
• Only ask subscribers to sign after completing the name and description
fields on the form
Home Address Form - Parliamentary
• Must state home address in full
• Must state if you do not want your address to be made public and
to appear on the ballot paper. If so:
- give the name of the constituency in which your home address
is situated or,
- if you live outside the UK, the name of the country in which you
reside
Consent to Nomination Form Parliamentary
Must include:
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Statement you are qualified and not disqualified from standing
Your date of birth
Name, address and signature of witness
Statement you are not a candidate in another constituency
Nomination Form - District, Parish and
Town
• 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 description authorised by a
certificate issued by or on behalf of the Nominating Officer
• Parish/Town only – description of no more than 6 words
• District: Proposer, Seconder and 8 other Subscribers are required
• Parish: Proposer and Seconder required only
• Must sign & print their names. Check details of subscribers against electoral
register and include their elector number on the nomination paper
• Only ask subscribers to sign after completing the name, address and
description fields on the form
Consent to Nomination Form - District,
Parish and Town
• Must include:
– name and address
– which area standing in
– confirmation of qualification(s) that apply (at least 1, but select all
that apply)
– date of birth & signature
– witness’ name, address and signature
Commonly Used Names
Surname
Forename(s)
Miller
Commonly
used
Surname
Commonly
used
Forename(s)
Ballot Paper
Andrew John
Andy
MILLER
Andy
Miller
Andrew John
John
MILLER
John
Miller
Andrew John
Voter
Andy
VOTER
Andy
Miller
Andrew John
Superstar
None to be
Used
SUPERSTAR
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 description
allow the candidate to choose whether to use the party name or
any of the descriptions registered with the Electoral Commission
• Must be submitted with the other nomination papers by 4pm on 9
April
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 on 9 April
• Party candidates should supply an electronic version of the emblem
to the (Acting) Returning Officer if required
Submitting Nomination Papers Parliamentary
• All candidates must submit by 4pm on 9 April:
- their nomination form
- their home address form
- their consent to nomination
• Party candidates will also need to submit by that time:
- 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
• The nomination form, consent to nomination form and home address form
must be delivered by hand and cannot be submitted by post, fax or other
electronic means
Submitting Nomination Papers Parliamentary
Take care when completing your nomination papers as mistakes may
invalidate your nomination! Complete your nomination papers early and
arrange for us to provide an informal check
The nomination and home address form may only be delivered by:
– you
– your proposer or seconder, or
– by your election agent (if the (Acting) Returning Officer has previously
received notification of their appointment)
£500 deposit - cash or bankers draft made payable to ‘National Referendum
2001’
If you have formally submitted your nomination paper and it is invalid you will
not be permitted to use the same Proposer, Seconder and Subscribers
Submitting Nomination Papers - District,
Parish and Town
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The nomination papers must be submitted by all candidates by 4pm –
9th April
– the nomination form
– the consent to nomination
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Party candidates will also need to submit, by 4pm – 9th April:
– 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 - District,
Parish and Town
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Take care when completing your nomination papers, as
mistakes may invalidate your nomination.
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Complete nomination papers early and arrange for us to provide an
informal check
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Nomination papers must be delivered in person
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Any nomination papers sent through the post will not be accepted
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If you have formally submitted your nomination paper and it is invalid
you will not be permitted to use the same Proposer, Seconder and
Subscribers
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
Withdrawals
• You may withdraw your candidature at any time during the
nomination period
• The deadline for withdrawals is 4:00pm on Thursday 9th April 2015
• The (Acting) Returning Officer must be notified in writing; the notice
must be signed by the candidate and a witness
• The withdrawal notice must be delivered by hand
• If you have submitted nomination papers for more than one ward,
you must withdraw from all but one before the withdrawal deadline
Election Agents
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Your Election Agent is responsible for the proper management of your
election campaign; particularly its financial management
You must submit your Election Agent details before 4:00pm on Thursday 9th
April 2015; details required:
– Full name
– Address
– Office Address
The declaration must be signed by you and by the agent
The Election Agent may not resign but the Candidate may revoke the
appointment at any time; the (Acting) Returning Officer must be notified in
writing
You will become your own agent by default if none is appointed
Parish/Town Council candidates do not have Election Agents
Registration
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As a candidate you are uniquely placed to encourage people to register to
vote
You should encourage people to register as soon as possible
The deadline for applying for the election is 20 April 2015
Registration has changed from a household to an individual system
Individuals can now also register online at https://www.gov.uk/register-tovote
When discussing registering to vote with
individuals, you will need to make them aware that they will need:
– their National Insurance number,
– date of birth and address to register
People who do not have / cannot retrieve their National Insurance Number
can still register, but they may need to provide further information. If so,
they will be contacted by the ERO
Absent Voting
• If you are encouraging people who don’t have a postal (or proxy) vote to
apply for one, make sure you explain that they will only qualify for one if they
are (or will be) individually registered
• They will be registered individually if:
– they applied to register after 10th June 2014, or
– were transferred onto the new registers as their details could be
matched with official records. They would have received confirmation of
this transfer in August 2014
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All requests for postal vote applications should be forwarded to the Electoral
Services Office
Contacts
Electoral Services Office
E mail: [email protected]
Helpline: 01924 305023
Website: www.wakefield.gov.uk/elections
Electoral Commission
Website: www.electoralcommission.org.uk
Electoral Commission Office: 0333 103 1928
Party and Election Finance: 0333 103 1928
Parliamentary General, District
and Parish/Town Council
Elections
7th May 2015
ANY QUESTIONS?