Transcript Slide 1
Welcome Candidates and Election Agents Briefing Newark and Sherwood Parliamentary Constituencies and District/Parish Elections Thursday 7 May 2015 Who’s Who • High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire – Returning Officer for the Parliamentary Election • Andrew Muter – Acting Returning Officer for the Parliamentary Election and the Electoral Registration Officer • Andrew Muter – Returning Officer for the Local Elections • Role to administer the elections/act with impartiality Key Dates • Notice of Elections – Monday 23 March (for District and Parish) Wednesday 1 April (for Parliamentary) • Nominations to be received from the day following publication of the Notice of Elections • Close of Nominations – Thursday 9 April at 4:00pm • Deadline to withdraw a nomination – Thursday 9 April at 4:00pm • Last day for appointment of Election Agents – Thursday 9 April at 4:00pm • Publication of Statement of Persons Nominated – Thursday 9 April at 5:00pm (for Parliamentary) Friday 10 April at 4:00pm (for District and Parish) Key Dates (continued) • Poll cards to be dispatched for delivery around Tuesday 31 March • Deadline to apply to register to vote – Monday 20 April • Deadline to change/cancel an existing application or to apply for a new postal vote – Tuesday 21 April at 5:00pm • Provisional date for dispatch of postal votes for delivery around Friday 24 April • Deadline to change/cancel an existing application or to apply to appoint a new proxy – Tuesday 28 April at 5:00pm • Appointment of polling and counting agents – Wednesday 29 April What is being contested? • 2 Parliamentary Constituencies • 39 District Council seats under a new Warding arrangements (9 single Member Wards; 6 two Member Wards and 6 three Member Wards) • 72 Parish and Town Council Electoral areas Newark Parliamentary Map Sherwood Parliamentary Map District Ward Map Nominations • Prior to the deadline the ARO/RO must receive the: Nomination Paper Consent to Nomination Home Address Form for Parliamentary • Political Party candidates need to submit a certificate authorising the use of a party name/registered description and use of a party emblem on the ballot paper • Ensure your nomination is completed correctly • The nomination paper and consent to nomination must be delivered by hand • Nomination packs are available on our website Nominations • For Parliamentary the nomination paper, home address form and consent to nomination must be delivered by the candidate, agent or proposer/seconder • £500 deposit for Parliamentary candidates – cash or bankers draft • Parliamentary candidates should make appointments to submit their nomination papers • Give full names on the nomination paper (any commonly used names will appear on the ballot paper and Notices) • Description field – leave blank/Independent/Political Party (or any other description for Parishes) • Subscribers – 10 for Parliamentary/District – 2 for Parishes • Subscribers must be registered in the relevant electoral area Qualifications – Parliamentary • Candidates must satisfy criteria on the day they are nominated and on polling day Be at least 18 years old Be a British citizen, a citizen of Rep of Ireland or a qualifying Commonwealth citizen Must not be disqualified • Certain people are disqualified, for example, civil servants, members of the armed forces, judges, peers… • Those who are subject to bankruptcy restrictions would also be disqualified • There is no requirement to be a registered elector in the UK Qualifications – District • Candidates must satisfy the Parliamentary criteria on the day they are nominated and on polling day; and also at least one of the following: Registered as a local government elector within the District Occupied as owner or tenant, any land or premises in the district during the whole 12 months preceding nomination Principal or only place of work during the whole of the previous 12 months in the district Lived in the district during the last 12 months Qualifications – Parish • Candidates must satisfy the Parliamentary criteria on the day they are nominated and on polling day; and also at least one of the following: Registered as a local government elector within the Parish Occupied as owner or tenant, any land or premises in the Parish during the whole 12 months preceding nomination Principal or only place of work during the whole of the previous 12 months in the Parish Reside within 4.8km of the Parish boundary Disqualifications (District and Parish) • A person cannot be a candidate if they: are employed by the local authority (exceptions being certain schools, fire/police services…) are subject of a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order 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 are serving a disqualification due to being found guilty of a corrupt or illegal practice by an election court hold a politically restricted post Nomination Summary • To give full names • Any commonly used names will appear on ballot papers • Include any candidate description prior to getting the nomination subscribed • Give home address in full (for example not Ave or Rd) • Elector Numbers – from the Register of Electors (request for register included within nomination packs) • Candidates consent to nomination Qualifications to stand (complete all those that apply) Include date of birth and signature Sign in the presence of a witness Nomination Summary (continued) • For Political Party candidates the authorised description must match the description on the nomination paper • Deliver by hand as soon as possible , the Notice of Election for District/Parishes published earlier to facilitate this • Informal checks can be made (time permitting) • To make an appointment is advisable • Consider the Easter Bank Holiday office closure on 3 and 6 April • Nomination papers will not be accepted after the deadline Election Agent • Responsible for the proper management of the candidates election campaign, particularly its financial management • The candidate will become their own Election Agent by default if no-one is appointed by the deadline (4:00pm on Thursday 9 April) • For Parliamentary, Election Agents must have an address in the Constituency (or an adjoining Constituency) • There are no election agents for parish elections Other Agents Postal Vote Opening Agents: • Attend and observe the opening of the postal votes • Must be advised prior to the start of the openings • Dates to be advised Polling Agents: • Attend polling stations to detect personation only Counting Agents: • Observe the counting of the votes, can object to doubtful ballot papers • Essential these are appointed by Wednesday 29 April • Numbers to be advised Access to Election Documents • All candidates are entitled to a free full copy of the Register of Electors and absent voters list for the relevant electoral area (only one copy provided to the main political parties) • Also entitled to the further updates • Electronic and paper versions available • For registers in cross boundary areas we will be limited in how these can be supplied • Only to be used for permitted electoral purposes (completing the nomination paper, to assist the campaign etc) • Marked copies of the register and marked list of absent voters available for a fee after the elections Registration • Registration has changed from a household to an individual system (IER) • https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote • All individuals will need to provide their date of birth and national insurance number • The deadline to apply is Monday 20 April Postal Voting • All postal vote applications must include two personal identifiers (date of birth and signature) in a prescribed form • If possible check to see if an elector is already a postal voter before issuing an application form • All postal voters have to be IER registered • Deadline to make an application is Tuesday 21 April at 5:00pm • The opening of postal votes will take place at Kelham Hall (times and dates will be notified to candidates and agents) • The final opening of postal votes will be held following the close of poll Polling Day • Electors should be able to cast their votes free of intimidation • No long term parking of vehicles for campaign purposes, displaying election material or using loud speakers immediately outside polling stations • Only officially appointed polling agents can attend polling stations (candidates and agents can also attend polling stations) • Tellers must follow Electoral Commission guidance • Rosettes can only display the candidate name/description /Political Party emblem Publicity • The period from the Notice of the Election being published until after polling day should preclude proactive publicity • All published materials must: Contain the name, address of the printer, the promoter and the candidate Not make a false statement about the personal conduct of any candidate Not resemble a poll card Verification and Count • Verification of all Parliamentary/District and Parish papers following close of poll • Newark Parliamentary Constituency Count to take place at Kelham Hall following the verification (2:00am) • Sherwood Parliamentary Constituency Count to take place at the Dukeries Leisure Centre following verification (2:00am) • Verification Centre at Southwell Leisure Centre from the close of poll • District and Parish Counts 4:00pm on Friday 8 May at two venues (Kelham and Dukeries Leisure Centre) Parliamentary Counts Other ARO Count Centre Ollerton Other ARO Count Centre Southwell Kelham Other ARO Count Centre Other ARO Count Centre Verification and Count (continued) • Entry will be for appointed agents only • Appropriate badges will be issued and must be displayed • Ensure agents are appointed by the deadline (Thursday 29 April) • Mobile phones/devices are to be left on silent and are not to be used in the count hall for making calls or taking photographs during the verification/counting of votes • Do not disturb the count staff unnecessarily • The order and venue for the District/Parish counts will be published Verification and Count (continued) • Doubtful ballot papers will be determined by the ARO (or his Deputies) in consultation with candidates and agents • Provisional result consultation • Requests for a recount • Announcement of result • Further details on the count process will be sent with appointment letters SPOC • • • • • • Nottinghamshire Police Single Point of Contact Sue Howell – Acting Detective Inspector Will deal with any electoral malpractice/offences Email: [email protected] Telephone: 0115 8444060 Each candidate will be asked to sign up to the National Code of Conduct in relation to the handling of postal votes Election Expenses • • • • • • • • • The expenses limits:Parliamentary £8,700 plus 9p per elector District and Parish £740 plus 6p per elector Defined as certain expenses ‘used for the purposes of the candidates election’ No spending will be reimbursed Must obtain and keep receipts over £20 Even if no expenses are incurred a nil return still has to be submitted It is a criminal offence not to submit an expenses return Parliamentary candidates free mailing (contact Royal Mail) Full guidance and forms available from the Electoral Commission Deadline to return expenses: Thursday 4 June for Parishes Friday 12 June for Parliamentary and District Contact Details • • • • Andrew Muter – 01636 655200 Nigel Hill – 01636 655243 Mark Jurejko – 01636 655222 Joanne Dunn – 01636 655245 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/vote • Electoral Commission Website www.electoralcommission.org.uk Questions • Please complete the evaluation form.