Council elections

• Who can stand/who can vote

• When?

• How?

You can stand as a candidate if:

• Aged 18 or over• A British, Commonwealth or EU Citizen• Have lived or worked in council area for at least 12

months before you are nominated• Have no convictions or are a bankrupt• Be on the electoral register• You are nominated by 10 electors in the ward you are

standing for• Are not employed by council you are standing for• Candidates do not have to pay a deposit – unlike

General Election

You cannot stand as a candidate…

• If you are bankrupt

• Have been guilty of election malpractice in previous five years

• Have been imprisoned for three months or more in last five years

• Occupy a politically restricted post (eg work for council for which you intend to stand)

You can vote in a local election if…

• Over age of 18

• A citizen of Britain, Ireland or Commonwealth

• Not a convicted prisoner

• Are on the electoral register in relevant council area

Postal votes

• Permitted where you provide proof of date of birth and signature that can be checked when vote cast

• Registration officers have powers to check IDs and remove people from electoral register

Council elections – when?

Electoral cycle depends on where you live• Most councils have “whole council” or “all

out” elections every four years (2011 – boroughs and districts)

• Metropolitan councils have “partial” or “by thirds” elections: one third of councillors stand for election every year (also some districts)

• Some English unitaries & districts choose to have elections by thirds

• Seven have elections by halves

Council elections – how ii

• Local elections held every May, normally first Thursday of the month

• Councillors are elected to “wards” or “electoral divisions” – each returning 1,2 or 3 members

• At ballot stations in person or (increasingly) through postal voting and e-voting (fraud issues)

• Election results decided by “first past the post” system

Elections 2012/2013

• 2012:

• 18 unitaries (all by thirds)

• 36 Metropolitans (all by thirds)

• 74 districts

• 22 Welsh councils

• 2013: County council elections

Elections + party politics

• Council elections not solely dominated by mainstream parties

• Recent years have seen the rise of minority, independent and single issue parties, often achieving notable successes (Green Party; Health Concern; BNP; residents groups)

• Why: much easier to get foothold in councils than parliamentary elections – no deposit/smaller turnouts etc

Electoral division+wards

• Areas (“constituencies”) represented by county councillors

• Usually, one councillor for each division but larger ones may have two representatives

• Boundaries determined by Boundary Committee of Electoral Commission

• Any boundary changes must be agreed by Secretary of State

Returning officer

• Responsible for overseeing and managing local and general elections

• Orders recounts where necessary

• Announces results

• Is usually the chief executive of local relevant authority but often chairman/mayor of council will announce results

Returning officer ii)

• Arranges polling stations and appoints ‘tellers’

• Ensures ballot boxes are not interfered with

• Receives pay for role in election – additional to salary