Returning Officer 1 Whos who The Returning Officer and Electoral - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Debbie Marles Returning Officer

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Who’s who

 The Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer is

Debbie Marles who is responsible for running the election and for maintaining the register of electors and absent voters lists

 The Deputy Returning Officer and Deputy Electoral Registration

Officer is Victoria Davidson Electoral Registration Office:

 Rebecca Light – Electoral Registration Manager

(single point of contact for county candidates & agents)

 Carole Cutler – Electoral Registration Deputy

(single point of contact for town/community candidates & agents)

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Overview

 The election timetable & key dates  Purdah – pre-election period  The Clerk’s role  Who can stand?  Nominations  Campaigning & Expenditure  Close of nominations  After the poll  Local Government Data Unit – Wales  Q & A

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Election Timetable

Publication of Notice of Election Monday 20th March Nominations commence Tuesday 21st March Close of nomination 4pm – Tuesday 4th April Publication of statement of persons nominated 4pm – Wednesday 5th April Deadline for application to register to vote Midnight – Thursday 13th April Deadline for new postal vote applications / changes to existing postal or proxy vote applications 5pm – Tuesday 18th April Publication of notice of poll/situation of polling stations Tuesday 25th April

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Deadline for applications for new proxy votes 5pm – Tuesday 25th April Appointment of counting and polling agents Wednesday 26th April Poll Day Thursday 4th May – 7am – 10pm Deadline to apply to vote by proxy on grounds of medical emergency or if unexpectedly called away because of employment or service 5pm – 4th May (poll day) Deadline for replacement of lost/spoilt postal votes 5pm – poll day Alterations to the register to correct clerical errors 9pm – poll day Return of election expenses (town/community candidates) Thursday 1st June (midnight)

Election Timetable

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Purdah (pre-election period)

 Starts Monday 20th March 2017  Town/Community Councils must comply with

restrictions

 Do not publish any material which, in whole, or in

part, appears to be designed to affect public support for a political party

 Individual councillors may issue their own

statements, letters for media publication in a personal capacity

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Town & Community Council - Clerk’s Role

 To provide advice to

prospective candidates

 Display notices relating to

elections as provided by the RO

 May wish to arrange

distribution of nomination papers

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Who can stand? Qualifications & Disqualifications

 Candidates must satisfy certain criteria

• n the day they are nominated and on

polling day

 Similarly there are criteria that

disqualify a person from standing as a candidate

 Refer to the Electoral Commission for

further guidance

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Nomination Packs

 Nomination packs will be available

• n the Vale of Glamorgan Council

website www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/lge17 OR

 Can be obtained by contacting the

Electoral Registration office 01446 709345

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Nomination procedure

 Important that nomination packs are

completed correctly & in full

 Full responsibility of each candidate not

the clerk to ensure nomination is submitted to the RO by deadline

 Nomination papers that are incomplete

• r incorrect will not be accepted as valid

 Arrange an informal check of nomination

papers with the Electoral Registration team

 Each candidate must be nominated on a

separate nomination paper

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Submitting nomination papers

Advise candidates :

 To submit their nominations by 4pm –

Tuesday 4th April (by hand)

 Party candidates will also need to

submit, by 4pm – Tuesday 4th April

 A certificate of authorisation to the

use of a party name/ registered description on the ballot paper

 A written request to use one of the

party’s emblems on the ballot paper (optional)

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Nomination form

• Subscribers:
• 2 subscribers are required (Town /

Community)

• Must sign & print their names. Check details of

subscribers against electoral register that is valid

• n 1st March 2017. If they are not on that

register they can’t subscribe the nomination

• Only ask subscribers to sign after completing the

name, address and description fields on the form

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Campaigning & Expenditure

Advise candidates that:

 They can start to campaign as soon as they

declare himself / herself to be a candidate

 All election publicity must carry an imprint with

details of the full name and full postal address of the printer and promoter

 The spending limit for Town/ Community council

elections per candidate is £740 plus 6p per electorate in the ward.

 A record and receipts for any expenses should be

kept and each candidate must by law complete and return their election expenses – no reimbursement can be made by the Vale of Glamorgan Council to candidate –it is a record which is available for public inspection

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Close of Nominations - Statement of Persons Nominated

 The RO is required to publish this statement

no later than 4pm on the Wednesday 5th April.

 The Clerk will be provided with a copy to

display locally.

 The statement will also be published on the

Vale of Glamorgan Council’s website.

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Close of Nominations - Uncontested Elections

 If the number of candidates remaining validly

nominated after any withdrawals does not exceed the number of Councillors to be elected, will be declared elected.

 The Returning Officer will publish an Uncontested

• Notice. However, people elected in these circumstances

do not take office until four days after the day of election.

 If there are not enough candidates to fill all the

vacancies, elected members, can co-opt other members to fill the remaining vacancies.

 If the Town/Community Council fails to exercise the

power to co-opt within seven weeks (35 days working days) or if there is no quorum, The Vale of Glamorgan Council may order a fresh election to properly constitute the Town/Community Council.

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Close of Poll / Count - Contested Elections

 The Returning Officer will give public notice of the

results for each Town/Community Council as they become available

 The Returning Office will also give notice of the

name of each candidate elected to the Town/Community Council Clerk

 All Declaration of Results will be available on the

Vale of Glamorgan Council’s website and

• reception. The public notice will show the name
• f each candidate and of the total number of

votes given for each (whether elected or not) together with the number of rejected ballot papers.

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After the Election

 All Candidates (whether

successful or not) MUST submit a Statement of Election Expenses and the candidate Declaration.

 Elected candidates must make

a Declaration of Acceptance of Office with the Town / Community Clerk and undertake to comply with the Members’ Code of Conduct.

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Wales Local Government Survey

All Local Authorities have a

duty to conduct a survey of candidates

The Local Government Data

Unit Wales will be conducting this on our behalf

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Other Clerk Roles

 Hold an annual meeting each

year in May

 Be aware of Electoral and non-

electoral offences

 Fill casual vacancies either

initially by election or if no election called for then by co-

• ption

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Contact Information

Elections office 01446 729552 (public) 01446 709203 (candidate and agents only)

electoralregistration@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

Rebecca 01446 709304 rmlight@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk Carole 01446 709345 ccutler@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

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Future briefing sessions & further information

www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/lge17

Clerk’s meeting day

 Friday 17th March

Candidates and Agents Briefing Sessions:-

 Thursday 23rd February @ 2pm (Committee Room 2)  Thursday 23rd February @ 6.30pm (Committee Room 1)  Friday 3rd March @ 9.30am (Council Chamber)

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Q & A

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