Election process

To become a councillor you have to stand as a candidate at an election and compete with other candidates to gain the most votes from the local electorate. Candidates can stand as a party candidate or as an independent candidate.

Legal criteria

To become a candidate you must be at least 18 years old at the date of nomination and be either:

• a British citizen
• an eligible Commonwealth citizen, or
• a citizen of any member state of the European Union

You must also meet at least one of the following qualifications:

• You are, and will continue to have an entry on the electoral register.
• You have occupied, as owner or tenant, land or other premises in the area for 12 months.
• You have worked in the area for 12 months.
• You have lived in the area for 12 months or in the case of a parish or town council have lived within 4.8 km of the parish or town for the previous 12 months.

Candidates may be disqualified if they work for the council or hold a politically restricted post with another local authority. All candidates may be disqualified if they are declared bankrupt or have a previous criminal conviction with a three-month or more prison sentence.

Paperwork

Any person wishing to stand as a candidate will need to complete the following paperwork:

• a nomination paper, countersigned by two registered electors for area in which you are standing for election
• a consent to nomination, confirming that you are willing to stand for election and witnessed by one other person
• an appointment of election agent (district council only), unless you are taking this role on yourself.

If you are a candidate for a registered political party you will also need to submit:

• a certificate of authorisation from the political party
• a request to use the party emblem on the ballot paper.