Information for Candidates and Election Agents – District Council By-Election – Featherstone Ward on Thursday, 12 December 2024
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.
Timetable for elections taking place on Thursday, 12 December 2024
The election timetable is available.
Code of Conduct
All candidates, agents and campaigners must adhere to the Code of Conduct.
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 vote 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 ward in which they are standing.
Candidates may appoint ten 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.
Guidance for polling agents
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 and counting of all ballot papers will commence at 10pm on Thursday 12 December at:
Featherstone Sports Complex
Pontefract Road
Featherstone
WF7 5AJ
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 one counting agent to observe the verification and counting of the votes within their respective ward only.
Candidate Spending
Candidate spending is spending on activities to promote your candidacy during the regulated period. The regulated period begins on the day after the date you officially become a candidate and ends on polling day.
The earliest date you can officially become a candidate is the last date for publication of the notice of election, which will be Thursday 7 November 2024.
Forms you will need to complete your spending return
- candidate spending return excel version
- candidate spending return PDF
- candidate spending explanatory notes
All candidates and their election agents must submit a ‘declaration as to election expenses’