Standing as a candidate at a local election

You cannot be a candidate if you:

• Are employed by the Council or hold a paid office under the Council, including joint boards or committees. Candidates may be 'employed by the Council' if they work at certain schools, fire services, police or health services.
• Are subject of a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order, or interim restrictions order.
• Have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 3 months or more (including a suspended sentence), without option of a fine, during the 5 years before polling day.
• Are serving a disqualification due to being found guilty of a corrupt or illegal practice by an election court.
• Hold a politically restricted post.

You may also be disqualified from elections if you have been disqualified from standing for election to a local Council, following a decision of the First-tier Tribunal (formerly the Adjudication Panel for England).

The Local Government (Disqualifications) Act 2022 has introduced a new disqualification relating to sexual offences.

This list is not comprehensive. 

For further information on disqualifications, read part one of the Commission's guidance.

You must do everything you can to check that you are not disqualified before submitting your nomination paper.

It is a criminal offence to make a false statement on a nomination paper. See Section 65A of the Representation of the People Act 1983.

If you are in any doubt, you should contact your employer, consult the legislation or, if necessary, take your own independent legal advice.

The Returning Officer will not be able to confirm whether or not you are disqualified and will not question or investigate the validity of your qualification(s).