We are hosting an informal evening to learn about what being a councillor involves and whether it could be right for you. Find out more by visiting our prospective councillor page.
If you are interested in representing your community, you can stand for election as a local councillor, MP or Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC). Elections are held every four years for county, district, parish, town and Kent PCC, with by-elections taking place when vacancies arise.
Parliamentary elections take place every 5 years or at short notice when called by parliament.
The next scheduled district and parish elections in Dover are due to take place in May 2027.
Who can stand
Candidates can be nominated through a political party, however individuals can stand in their own right.
Nomination process
No experience is needed to stand as a councillor.
To stand for election, you must submit a nomination paper and other required forms by the published deadline.
For local council elections, your nomination paper must be supported by two registered electors from the area where you are standing.
For parliamentary elections, your nomination papers must be signed by a proposer, a seconder and 8 other registered electors (assenters).
In PCC elections, it must be a proposer, a seconder and 98 registered electors.
The elections team will provide the forms once an election is announced or you can get them from the Electoral Commission website (opens in new tab).
Nomination forms typically include:
- nomination paper
- consent to nomination
- home address form
- appointment of election agent (not valid for town/parish elections)
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
We will send you a notice of validity when your nomination has been accepted. You can withdraw your nomination until 4pm on the 19th working day before the election.
Election agents
At Parliamentary, PCC, county and district elections a candidate may appoint an election agent who will be responsible for ensuring the campaign complies with electoral law and manages campaign finances and expenses.
If no election agent is appointed, the candidate becomes their own election agent by default.
Costs of standing as a candidate
To stand as a candidate at a Parliamentary election, you must pay a deposit of £500, which will be returned to you if you receive more than 5% of the valid votes cast.
To stand as a candidate in a Police and Crime Commissioner election, you must pay a deposit of £5,000, which will be returned to you if you receive more than 5% of the valid votes cast.
There is no charge to stand as a candidate in county, district or town/parish elections.
Expenses
For all types of elections, 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. Candidates are responsible for their own campaign costs but must submit a record of their election expenses.
Guidance for candidates and agents
You can find detailed guidance on completing nomination papers and candidate requirements via the Electoral Commission website below.
Contact
- email: vote@dover.gov.uk (opens in new tab)
- phone: 01304 872344
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