Elections - Electoral Nominations

How do I become a Councillor?

Local elections are held every year. Borough Council elections take place in three out of four years. In the other year, County Council elections take place. Parish elections will be held in 2008 at the same time as the Borough Council elections. The local elections are held on the first Thursday in May.

You can be a candidate if you are British, Commonwealth, Irish or a citizen of another Member State of the European Community, and:

• are over 18
• are on the electoral register
• have lived or worked in the electoral area during 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. 

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, ten people need to sign the nomination paper. To stand as a candidate in a Parish or Town Election, two 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/Town/Parish 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

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

A nomination pack containing all the legal forms needed to stand in an election is available from the Electoral Registration Office.  Contact Details: Electoral Registration Office, Welwyn Hatfield Council, Council Offices, The Campus, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire  AL8 6AE   Telephone: 01707 357300.

The candidate's name and address must be given in full. The law limits the description candidates can use to no more than six words.

Unless a person is standing on behalf of a political party, they may only use the word 'Independent' or leave that part of the nomination paper blank. There are different rules regarding the description a Parish/Town Council candidate can use. Candidates cannot submit a nomination paper using a political party description unless they have written authority to do so. This would be a Certificate from that Party confirming that the candidate is allowed to use their description.