Standing as a Candidate
District Council Elections are held every four years. 45
Councillors are elected in 21 Wards.
Town and Parish Council Elections are also
held every four years. In the Dover District there are 3 Town
Councils and 32 Parish Councils. The next elections will be
held in 2015.
Candidates can be nominated through a
political party, however individuals can stand in their own
right.
- To become a candidate you must be at least 18
years of age and;
- You must have an entry on the electoral
register, or
- Have lived, worked or owned property in the
area for 12 months.
- Or in the case of a Parish Council have lived
within 4.8 km of the Parish for 12 months
District Council Candidates may be
disqualified if they work for the Council or hold a politically
restricted post with another local authority. All Candidates
may be disqualified if they are declared bankrupt or have a
previous criminal conviction with a three-month or more prison
sentence.
The Nomination Process
No experience is needed to stand for election
as a Councillor. To stand as a candidate, a form known as a
nomination paper must be submitted. The nomination paper
gives details of the candidate's name, address (in full) and
political description (if any) that will be used during the
campaign. District Council nomination papers have to be
attested by a Proposer and Seconder and another 8 people who
support the nomination to stand as a candidate. Town and
Parish nomination papers have to be attested by a Proposer and
Seconder who support the nomination to stand as a candidate.
Everyone signing the nomination paper must be
included on the Register of Electors for the Ward in which the
election is to be held. If someone signs your nomination
paper and they are not included on the relevant Register of
Electors, the paper will be declared invalid.
A person wishing to stand as a candidate will
be issued with the following:
- Nomination paper
- Consent to nomination
- Appointment of election agent
- Timetable
- Candidates' guidance
A candidate who is standing on behalf of a
registered political party will also need to submit:
- Certificate of authorisation
- Request to use the party emblem
At the close of nominations the candidate will
be notified as to whether or not the nomination is valid. If
a candidate wishes to withdraw their nomination they have until no
later than noon on the 16th working day prior to the date of the
election to withdraw.
The law now limits the description candidates
can use. For a District Council election, unless a person is
standing on behalf of a political party, they may only use the word
"Independent" or have no description at all. Candidates
cannot submit a nomination paper using a political party
description unless they have the political party's permission to do
so and a certificate from the party authorising the use of their
particular description must be obtained.
Some candidates appoint an agent to assist
them and they can be appointed to take responsibility for the
management of your campaign. This does not apply to
Town/Parish Elections. Candidates can arrange the appointment
of other agents at the polling stations and at the count.
Does it cost any money to stand as a candidate?
There is no charge to stand as a candidate in
District or Parish elections but there are strict rules on the
amount and manner in which expenses are incurred by the candidate
and how they are paid. The amount depends on the type of
election and there is a limit on how much a candidate can actually
spend. Because of these strict rules, a detailed return has
to be submitted, showing exactly how much and in what circumstances
a candidate has incurred expenditure. Expenses are
non-refundable.
Appointment of election agent
At District elections another person can act
as an election agent for a candidate. They must complete an
appointment of election agent form and that appointed agent must
sign a declaration of acceptance. If no such application is
received the candidate will be deemed to be acting as their own
agent.
The election agent is entitled to attend
polling stations, the opening of postal ballot papers, the
verification and the count.
The election agent is responsible for all acts
involved in carrying out the election on behalf of the candidate
and has a duty to ensure the campaign is conducted according to the
law. In particular the election agent is responsible for the
financial management of the election campaign and for ensuring that
the declarations and returns of expenses incurred by and on behalf
of the candidate are delivered to the appropriate officer.
Prospective Candidates
For a detailed Guide for Candidates and
Election Agents please visit the
Electoral Commission website.
Any person wishing to stand for election
should contact the Election Office on 01304 872344 or email
elections@dover.gov.uk.
Contact
Tel: 01304 872344
Email: elections@dover.gov.uk
