Advice FAQ Articles

All principal councils are legally obliged to make sure that their committees and sub-committees reflect the political make-up of the council as a whole. Similar…

Proxy votes Who may act as a proxy? Only someone who is (or will be) registered individually may apply for a proxy or be appointed…

The most effective meeting will be about an important local issue that involves local residents who want to have the opportunity to express their feelings.…

Publication of exit polls The law bans the publication of exit polls before the polls close in an election. In fact, the ban is broader…

Civil servants and local government officers are not supposed to be partisan at any time but they need to take extra care to avoid any…

Recounts Bundle recounts and full recounts Agents and candidates will be informed by the Returning Officer of the result before the official declaration. At this…

How do I get more Liberal Democrat leaning voters to register as postal voters? Putting time and effort into getting more Lib Dem supporters signed…

Resharing messages of support Resharing on social media messages of support from voters is a good way of building momentum for a campaign and encouraging…

Resharing on social media messages of support from voters is a good way of building momentum for a campaign and encouraging other people to add…

To win an election campaign you need win the hearts and minds of the electorate. There are four key narratives on which your campaign needs…

Return of leaflet petitions to tellers In order to raise turnout and promote a campaign, sometimes leaflets are delivered to supporters before polling day with…

Section 75 returns Forms for Section 75 are no longer usually provided to agents as part of the pack given out by the Returning Officer…

What does the law require councils to have in place to regulate standards? The Localism Act 2011 revoked on the 1st July 2012 the statutory…

Running a stall gives you a visible presence and a chance to recruit and encourage support for your campaign. You should not sit there waiting…

A parliamentary election agent in a county constituency may appoint sub-agents to act on their behalf. No sub-agents can be appointed in a borough (or…

“A picture is worth a thousand words.” A well known phrase, but one that very much holds true. The best way to grab the attention…

Tellers Tellers – the party workers who stand at the entrance to the polling station and collect voters’ electoral register numbers or name and address…

Tellers are the people who sit or stand outside the polling stations collecting the electoral roll numbers of people who have voted or are about…

10 golden rules to avoid libel Check the facts.Then check them again. Are they backed up by documentary evidence? Would the evidence crumble if challenged?…

Term of office Any person elected at a by-election will serve the remainder of the fixed term for the seat in which there was a…

Terms of office if elected A councillor serves from formal acceptance of office to four days after polling day at the end of the four…

Ballot papers retained but not counted Tendered ballot papers These papers, usually pink, are issued to electors who appear to have already voted when they…

The declaration The result as declared by the Returning Officer is legally binding, and can only be challenged later by election petition. It’s a common…

Doubtful ballot papers Valid or not? Judging whether a ballot paper is invalid or not can be a matter of degree, but there are three…

Who can register to vote? To join the electoral register someone must be 17 or over (but they cannot vote until they are 18) and…

The prescribed questions can be asked of any elector or proxy. However, the Presiding Officer must put the prescribed questions precisely and calmly in the…

The role of an agent Once appointed, the law makes the election agent responsible for the legality of everything that happens as part of the…

The rules on balanced coverage TV and Radio The rules require that during an election they are fair – which does not mean they have…

The six-month rule If a vacancy occurs within six months of the date when that councillor’s term of office would have expired, there will be…

These often cause confusion as they have same name but entirely different meanings: The first is to avoid unnecessary by-elections. For the last six months…

Aside from what parties and candidates can do, individuals or groups that aim to promote or disparage electoral candidates, at either general elections or local…

Timetable for election returns After the result is declared: Within 14 days – Candidate must submit a statement of her personal expenses to the agent.…