Elections - Electoral Nominations

Nominations for the 2008 Borough Council Elections

How do I become a Councillor?

Elections are held in thirds every year in three out of four years.  In the other year, County Council elections take place.  The elections involve all wards in each of those three years referred.  The Local Elections are held on the first Thursday in May.

You can be a candidate if you are over 18, on the electoral register, and have lived, worked or owned property in the area for at least the past 12 months.

You may be disqualified as a candidate if you work for the Council or hold a politically restricted post with another local authority. Bankruptcy or a previous criminal conviction with a three-month or more prison sentence would also disqualify you as a candidate.

Most candidates are nominated through a political party. However, individuals are welcome to stand in their own right. Before you can be accepted as a candidate you must get one person to agree to propose your nomination, another person to agree to second the proposal and eight other assentors.  All of these people must be on the electoral register.

The candidate must be:

• over 18
• on the electoral register
• have lived or worked as a British/Irish/Commonwealth/European citizen or
• owned property in the area for at least the past 12 months

No experience of any sort is needed to stand for any Council.

To enable a person to stand as a candidate at any election that person (or their Election Agent) must submit a nomination paper.  The nomination paper gives details of name, address and political description. A nomination paper has to be signed by the correct number of supporters.

To stand as a candidate in a County or Borough Council election 10 people need to sign the nomination paper. Everyone signing the nomination paper must be included on the Register of Electors for the area in which the election is to be held (County Electoral Division or Borough Ward). If someone signs your nomination paper and they are not included on the relevant Register of Electors, the paper will not be valid.

Guidance Notes

Name and address must be given in full. The law now limits the description candidates can use to no more than 6 words.

For a County or Borough Council election, unless a person is standing on behalf of a political party, they may only use the word "Independent" or leave this part of the nomination paper blank. Candidates cannot submit a nomination paper using a political party description unless they have that party’s written authority to do so, i.e. a Certificate from that Party confirming that the candidate is allowed to use their description.