Debbie Marles Returning Officer 1
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) 2
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 3
Election Timetable Monday 20 th March Publication of Notice of Election Tuesday 21 st March Nominations commence 4pm – Tuesday 4 th Close of nomination April 4pm – Wednesday Publication of statement of persons 5 th April nominated Midnight – Deadline for application to register to Thursday 13 th April vote 5pm – Tuesday 18 th Deadline for new postal vote applications / changes to existing April postal or proxy vote applications Tuesday 25 th April Publication of notice of poll/situation of polling stations 4
Election Timetable 5pm – Tuesday Deadline for applications for new proxy 25 th April votes Appointment of counting and polling agents Wednesday 26 th April Thursday 4 th Poll Day May – 7am – 10pm 5pm – 4 th May Deadline to apply to vote by proxy on grounds of medical emergency or if (poll day) unexpectedly called away because of employment or service 5pm – poll day Deadline for replacement of lost/spoilt postal votes 9pm – poll day Alterations to the register to correct clerical errors Return of election expenses Thursday 1 st (town/community candidates) June (midnight) 5
Purdah (pre-election period) Starts Monday 20 th March 2017 Town/Community Councils must comply with restrictions Do not publish any material which, in whole, or in part, appears to be designed to affect public support for a political party Individual councillors may issue their own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 6
Town & To provide advice to prospective candidates Community Council - Display notices relating to Clerk’s Role elections as provided by the RO May wish to arrange distribution of nomination papers 7
Who can stand? Candidates must satisfy certain criteria on the day they are nominated and on polling day Qualifications & Similarly there are criteria that disqualify a person from standing as a Disqualifications candidate Refer to the Electoral Commission for further guidance 8
Nomination packs will be available Nomination on the Vale of Glamorgan Council Packs website www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/lge17 OR Can be obtained by contacting the Electoral Registration office 01446 709345 9
Important that nomination packs are Nomination completed correctly & in full procedure Full responsibility of each candidate not the clerk to ensure nomination is submitted to the RO by deadline Nomination papers that are incomplete or 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 10
Advise candidates : Submitting To submit their nominations by 4pm – nomination Tuesday 4 th April (by hand) papers Party candidates will also need to submit, by 4pm – Tuesday 4 th 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) 11
• Subscribers: Nomination - 2 subscribers are required (Town / form Community) • Must sign & print their names. Check details of subscribers against electoral register that is valid on 1 st 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 12
Advise candidates that: Campaigning They can start to campaign as soon as they & declare himself / herself to be a candidate All election publicity must carry an imprint with Expenditure 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 13
Close of The RO is required to publish this statement Nominations - no later than 4pm on the Wednesday 5 th Statement of April. Persons The Clerk will be provided with a copy to Nominated display locally. The statement will also be published on the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s website. 14
If the number of candidates remaining validly Close of nominated after any withdrawals does not exceed the number of Councillors to be elected, will be declared Nominations - elected. Uncontested The Returning Officer will publish an Uncontested Elections 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 . 15
The Returning Officer will give public notice of the Close of Poll results for each Town/Community Council as they become available / Count - Contested The Returning Office will also give notice of the name of each candidate elected to the Elections 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 of each candidate and of the total number of votes given for each (whether elected or not) together with the number of rejected ballot papers. 16
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. 17
Wales Local All Local Authorities have a Government duty to conduct a survey of candidates Survey The Local Government Data Unit Wales will be conducting this on our behalf 18
Hold an annual meeting each Other Clerk year in May Roles Be aware of Electoral and non- electoral offences Fill casual vacancies either initially by election or if no election called for then by co- option 19
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 20
Future briefing sessions & further information www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/lge17 Clerk’s meeting day Friday 17 th March Candidates and Agents Briefing Sessions:- Thursday 23 rd February @ 2pm (Committee Room 2) Thursday 23 rd February @ 6.30pm (Committee Room 1) Friday 3 rd March @ 9.30am (Council Chamber) 21
Q & A 22
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