Handing in your nomination
If you want to be a candidate in the elections in May 2026, you must hand in a nomination.
Download our District election nomination pack: Wakefield 2026 Nomination Pack
Read our guide to completing your nomination: How to complete your nomination paper guide
To formally submit your nomination, you (or someone you trust) must hand deliver it to the Electoral Services Office.
Informal checks
To help you submit a valid nomination paper we offer an informal check on all nominations we receive. The checks will be available before the nomination period and begin on Monday, 9 March 2026. There are several ways that you can have your paper checked. You can send nomination papers by email for them to be checked. Or, you can bring them into the Electoral Services Office. Or you can book an appointment with a Deputy Returning Officer.
To send a nomination paper by email please scan it in full and send it to returningofficer@wakefield.gov.uk . Please do not use any other email address.
To bring a paper into the Electoral Services Office, please come to Town Hall reception. We have a doorbell in reception so if you ring that bell a member of our team will come out to meet you.
To make an appointment with a Deputy Returning Officer please click here Booking an informal check of nomination papers . For informal checks please select the ‘Informal Checking of Nomination Papers’ option on the booking screen. Up to three nomination papers can be checked at each appointment. If you need to bring more than three nomination papers and you cannot book appointments next to one another, please ring Electoral Services on 01924 305023 for guidance. You will be sent an email confirming any appointment that you book.
Formally submitting a nomination paper
The nomination period for the May 2026 elections begins on 19 March 2026 and ends at 4.00pm on 9 April 2026. Nomination papers can only be formally submitted on or between these dates.
All nomination papers that are being formally submitted must be hand delivered by you as the candidate or someone you trust on your behalf.
You can book an appointment to formally submit your appointment here Booking an appointment to submit a nomination. For formally submitting a nomination paper please select the ‘Formal Submission of Nomination Paper’ option on the booking screen. Up to three nomination papers can be taken at each appointment. If you need to bring more than three nomination papers and you cannot book appointments next to one another, please ring Electoral Services on 01924 305023 for guidance.
We would prefer all candidates as far as possible to make an appointment but realise that may not be possible. We will of course receive nominations without an appointment.
To bring a paper into the Electoral Services Office, please come to Town Hall reception. We have a doorbell in reception so if you ring that bell a member of our team will come out to meet you.
Anyone wishing to stand as a candidate and/or their agents should contact us using the new email address of returningofficer@wakefield.gov.uk.
We will still pick up emails to our other email address but that may take longer than using the new address.
If you need something urgent then please call the Electoral Services team on 01924 305023.