Information for Candidates and Election Agents - UK Parliamentary General Elections on Thursday 4 July 2024
Timetable for elections taking place on Thursday, 4 July 2024
The election timetable is available.
Code of conduct
All candidates, agents and campaigners must adhere to the code of conduct for candidates, agents and campaigners for UK Parliamentary general elections.
Nominations
Guidance on completing a nomination paper is available.
We will be offering nomination checking, this will be available throughout the nomination period. We can check completed nomination papers before formal submission. We will accept scanned copies for checking via email to shardy@wakefield.gov.uk.
Proposer, seconder and subscribers
To confirm elector number(s), please contact Electoral Services. Call 01924 305023 or email elections@wakefield.gov.uk. To confirm elector numbers we need the full name(s) and address as it appears on the electoral register.
The nomination period will begin at 10am on Tuesday 4 June 2024. All nomination papers must be delivered by hand for formal submission by 4pm on Friday 7 June 2024.
Contact Electoral Services to book an appointment for checking or formal submission of nomination paper(s). Call 01924 305023 or email elections@wakefield.gov.uk.
We will collect candidate contact details when nomination papers are delivered. This is so that we can share information and any changes quickly during the election period.
More information on standing for election is available from the Electoral Commission.
Post Nomination Candidate and Agent Briefing
We will be holding a post-nomination briefing session via Teams on Monday 10 June at 5:30pm.
Contact Electoral Services to book a place and we will send you an email link to your session. Call 01924 305023 or email elections@wakefield.gov.uk.
Imprints on political material
Political material in a district election is any material that can be reasonably regarded as intended to promote support for or the withholding of support for a candidate at an election.
Published political material must contain details showing who has responsibility for publishing it.
These details are called an ‘imprint’. The imprint ensures there is transparency for voters about who is campaigning.
Imprints must include the name and address of:
- the printer
- the promoter
- any person on behalf of whom the material is being published (and who is not the promoter)
An imprint may also be required on any digital material. The requirement to include an imprint applies to digital material that is "published". This means material made available to the public or any section of the public.
Digital material is material in electronic form that includes text, moving images, still images, speech or music.
A candidate’s political material includes material that criticises other candidates.
Display of campaign material on street furniture
Guidance on the display of campaign materials is available.
Candidate spending
The long campaign is a period where a candidate spending limit applies ahead of the dissolution of Parliament and the formal ‘short’ campaign regulated period for a UK Parliamentary election.
This is separate from the spending return required for the short campaign.
This guidance sets out:
- the maximum spending limit for the long campaign
- how candidates should declare their spending during the long campaign
- how party spending is affected by the change to reporting during the long campaign
Guidance on candidate spending at UK Parliamentary general elections.
This guidance covers:
- how much you can spend in the lead up to the election
- which activities count as candidate spending
- what records you must keep
- how to account for different types of spending
Using schools and rooms for public meetings
You may want to engage with the public at public meetings, promoting your views and responding to questions from the audience.
Once you are a candidate you will be able to use available public rooms up until the day before polling day.
Constituency Boundary Maps
Copies of boundary maps are available to download or print:
Registers and Absent Voter Lists
As a candidate you are entitled to receive a copy of the electoral register and the lists of people voting by post or by proxy (absent voter list).
Requests must be made in writing.
Postal Votes Issue and Opening
Information for dates and times for opening sessions and appointing postal voting agents.
Day of Poll
Polling stations will be open on polling day between 7am and 10pm. Any voters waiting in a queue at their polling station at 10pm will be allowed to vote, even if they haven’t yet been issued with a ballot paper.
Candidates and election agents are entitled to observe proceedings inside polling stations within the Constituency in which they are standing.
Candidates may appoint polling agents to observe the poll.
Only one polling agent for each candidate can be present in a polling station at any time, the number of polling agents permitted into a polling station at any time will be determined by the Presiding Officer on the day.
Polling Agent Secrecy Requirements
Appointment of polling agents form
Locations of polling stations can be found at www.wheredoIvote.co.uk
Tellers
Tellers are people who stand outside of polling stations and record elector numbers of electors who have voted on behalf of the candidate.
Tellers have no legal status and voters can refuse to give information to them.
Verification and Count
The verification of all ballot papers the and the counting of the votes will commence at 10.00pm on Thursday 4 July at Thornes Park Athletic Stadium, Wakefield.
Candidates and their appointed Election Agent will receive admission letters and wristbands to gain entry to the count to their home addresses.
Candidates are entitled to bring their spouse, partner, or a guest to attend the count. Candidates must provide the name and address of their spouse, partner, or guest on the appointment of counting agent form.
Candidates may appoint up to15 counting agents to observe the verification and counting of the votes within their respective Constituency only.