To help make your campaigning as easy as possible, we’ve gathered together some of the essential campaign tools, paperwork and information that you’ll need as the campaign goes on. Do let us know if there is anything else that you need and we will add it in.

Campaign artwork tools

Liberal Democrat fonts: Helvetica Neue & Andrew Garratt only (zip file)
Liberal Democrat fonts: other useful fonts (zip file)

Liberal Democrat logos (zip file)
Liberal Democrat clipart
Liberal Democrat colours

Buy PagePlus 11 software

Buy PagePlus x4 software

More campaign resources also available on the Liberal Democrat Members’ Site

Campaign template artwork

ALDC has commissioned this set of FOCUS templates for use by Liberal Democrat campaigners. These are exclusively available to members of ALDC.

Artwork Pack 1 - includes all-year round Focus artwork in various sizes, letterhead templates and calling card

Artwork Pack 2 - includes election 'flying start' leaflet, direct mail and direct mail inserts for fights against both Conservatives and Labour, new voter letters, postal vote recruitment mailings, canvass leaflets, report back leaflet and window poster templates

Artwork Pack 3 - additional Focus templates to be used during the election campaign, area squeeze leaflets and direct mail, eve of poll leaflets, example of a blue-ink letter and a post-election thank you Focus.

Artwork Pack 4 - get out the vote materials including flying start leaflet and polling day knock-up leaflets

Essential paperwork

Nomination papers (MS Word) - ward specific nomination papers will be available from your council
Delegated Nominating Officer (DNO) form (PDF)

Election expense forms and instructions - principal council elections (PDF)
Candidate's declaration (PDF)
Election agent's declaration (PDF)

N.B. The election expense forms for elections to principal councils have changed from previous years and are now consistent with those used at the 2010 General Election.  Unfortunately however they have decided to not produce them as an Excel file.

Election expense forms and instructions - parish and town council elections (PDF)

Postal vote application form (PDF)
Postal vote application form (PagePlus)

Forms for Scottish Parliamentary Elections
Forms for Welsh Assembly Elections

Official guidance

Postal vote code of conduct (PDF)
Draft guidance to police on interaction with political parties during campaigns (zip file)

2011 Local Election Timetable

Liberal Democrat Guidance

ALDC 2011 Council Candidate’s Handbook (PDF)

Guidance on election imprints
Election expense limits

It is now just 30 days and counting to the vital set of elections on 5 May 2011. 

In Scotland and Wales voters are electing their Parliament and Assembly respectively, all over the UK we'll be deciding whether to change to a fairer system of electing our MPs. 

In England, half of all all Liberal Democrat councillors are up for election in district, unitary and metropolitan councils across most of England. It's the first big national electoral test that the party will have faced as a party of Government at a UK level. Here's a list of all the seats up in 2011.

It is up to all of us, on the ground, to make 5th May 2011 a success.

We want to HELP YOU WIN!

Candidate Support Programme - From now until the close of election expenses next June, ALDC will be supporting Lib Dem candidates in the local elections. Candidates we already know about will receive our free "Candidates' Handbook" packed full of useful tips, rules and ideas (copies arrive this weekend).

But we can't help if we don't know who the candidates are! Please help us to help you by letting us know who your target candidates are. We're only collecting details for "target" and "moving forward" candidates, so as not to spread the net too thinly with paper candidates.

Let us know online here. If it's easier just email them in - as long as we know the name, address, ward and email - to david.ball@aldc.org

Advice and Support

Read more & comment...

Here is our summary of the composition of councillors, by authority-type and party, facing election in May 2011.  This list represents the best of ALDC's knowledge at time of publication but may be subject to change, for example due to by-elections and defections prior to the election.  If you would like to report any amendments to the figures presented here, please let us know by emailing elections2011@aldc.org.

Councillors up in 2011 - At a Glance

Councillors up in 2011 - In Detail

G8 is a grants programme to support local parties campaign in local elections.

G8 is administered by ALDC, with kind support from the Federal, English, Scottish and Welsh Liberal Democrats. If you have local elections in 2011, then we may be able to provide financial support for your campaign in wards where you will be fighting particularly hard campaigns, either to gain the seat or where there is a tricky defence.

The 2011 round of elections is the biggest in the four-year cycle. This means a lot of demand for funding through the “G8” grants process. We want to maximise success so will be aiming to fund as many council areas and wards as possible. Funding will be available in two rounds – offers for the first set of grants being made in late September 2010.

• grants will be in the region of £150 – £250 per target/held ward
• in less well resourced areas funding will be available to help people attend training like the Kickstart weekend
• council areas must make single applications, and must have a Campaign Plan (which we can help you with).

To register your interest, please complete this form by 20^th August and we will send you an application pack which should be returned by 27^th August.

For more information please contact eleanor.ritchie@aldc.org