Information for Candidates and Agents
Guidance Overview
The Electoral Commission have produced Guidance for Candidates and Agents at UK Parliamentary general elections. The guidance aims to provide practical advice for anyone who wants to stand as a candidate or be an agent at a UK Parliamentary general election in Great Britain and includes relevant materials as well as a guide to further resources. Full Guidance for Candidates and Agents.
Spending and Donations
Candidates and their agents at UK Parliamentary general elections must follow certain rules about how much they can spend, who they can accept donations from, and what they must report after the election.
How much can you spend?
The spending limit is based on a fixed amount, plus a variable amount per registered elector in Na h-Eileanan an Iar.
Your local electoral registration officer will be able to give you the number of registered electors in your constituency.
| Fixed Amount | Variable amount – borough constituency (burgh in Scotland) | Variable amount – county constituency |
|---|---|---|
| £11,390 | 8p per registered parliamentary elector | 12p per registered parliamentary elector |
Security Guidance for Candidates and Agents
The following links provides guidance and advice to candidates and agents in relation to election security.
Attendance at Key Electoral Events
Postal Vote Opening Sessions
You and your election agent or a person appointed by you to attend in your election agent’s place are entitled to attend the opening of returned postal votes, you can also appoint agents to attend openings on your behalf.
A postal voting agent is allowed at attend and observe postal vote opening sessions, which are run by the Returning Officer. A postal voting agent has a right to observe, but not to interfere with, this process. A postal voting agent can, however, object to the decision of the Returning Officer to reject a postal vote.
It is likely that several opening sessions will take place before polling day, as well as on polling day itself. The Returning Officer must give you at least 48 hours’ notice of when and where the sessions will take place. They will also set out how many postal voting agents will be allowed to attend each session.
Full details of what happens at Postal Vote Opening Sessions
Polling Stations
You and your election agent are entitled to observe proceedings inside polling stations. Additionally, you may appoint agents to attend polling stations on your behalf. For more details please see our guidance on appointing polling agents.
Polling Stations will be open on polling day between 7am and 10pm.
Most people choose to vote in person at their polling station. Electors will receive a poll card before the election telling them where and when they can vote. Electors do not need to take their poll card to the polling station in order to vote.
Anyone attending a polling station has a duty to maintain the secrecy of the ballot. They must also not try to ascertain how a voter has voted or who they are about to vote for. Any person found guilty of breaching the secrecy requirements can face a fine of up to £5,000, or may be imprisoned.
Full details on what happens at the Polling Station
The Count
You and your election agent are entitled to observe the count. You can invite one other person to attend the count. You and Your election agent may also appoint agents to attend the count on your behalf.
At the count, you, your election agent and, if appointed, your counting agent have a number of important roles to play:
- observe the counting process and make sure that it is accurate;
- draw attention of count staff to any doubtful ballot papers;
- if they disagree with a decision by the Returning Officer to reject a ballot paper, they can ask the Returning Officer to mark the ballot paper “rejection objected to”;
- if a count is suspended for any reason or there is a break in the proceedings, counting agents can add their seals when the Returning Officer seals the ballot boxes and envelopes.
The Returning Officer will notify you of the exact time and location of the count.
Full details on what happens at the Count
Code of Conduct
Campaigners are an essential element of a healthy democracy, and their right to put their arguments to voters should be supported and protected. It is equally important, however, to ensure that the activities of campaigners do not ring into question the integrity of the electoral process.
The Code of Conduct provides a guide for campaigners, electoral administrators and police forces to what is, and is not, considered acceptable behaviour at polling stations and in the community during the lead-up to polling day.
Code of Conduct for Campaigners at UK Parliamentary general elections in Great Britain
