Guide for Candidates and Agents
UK Parliamentary Elections 2015
Bromsgrove Constituency
Issued by the Acting Returning Officer
March 2015
Table of Contents
PAGE
Contact 1
Parliamentary Election Timetable – 7th May 2015 2
Sample Notice of Election 3
Candidates’ Deposits and Candidates’ Expenses 4 (inc. electorate figure)
Supporting Documents Available 5 - 6
Notices of Time and Place for Local Key Dates 7 - 8
Postal Voting Overview 9 -10
Postal Vote Opening Process – A Brief Summary 11 - 12
Useful Websites 13
Guidance for Tellers 14
Section 66 – Secrecy at proceedings 15
Posters and Flyposting 16
Past Election Results 17 - 18
Separate Enclosures
The Electoral Commission’s Nomination Pack
Electorate figure
List of Polling Stations for this Election
Application form for the Electoral Register
Application form for the Absent Voters List
Code of Conduct – Guidance and Voluntary Declaration Form
General Information
Combined Elections on 7 May 2015
The Bromsgrove Parliamentary Constituency comprises the Bromsgrove District Council area.
The UK Parliamentary Election is to be combined with Bromsgrove District Council Elections and Parish Council Elections and to be held on Thursday 7 th May 2015
Acting Returning Officer Details
Acting Returning Officer Kevin Dicks (Chief Executive)
Deputy Acting Returning Officers Claire Felton (Head of Legal, Equalities & Democratic Services)
Ross Thompson (AEA Consultant)
Tracey Hurst (Electoral Services Officer)
Contact Details for Candidate and Election Agent Matters
Electoral Shared Services Town Hall Walter Stranz Square Redditch B98 8AH
Phone 01527 882 322 Email: [email protected]
Contact Details for Registration and Absent Voting Matters:
Electoral Shared Services Town Hall Walter Stranz Square Redditch B98 8AH
Phone: 01527 881 421 Email: [email protected]
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Timetable of Proceedings for UK Parliamentary Election For Thursday 7th May 2015
Dissolution of Parliament Monday 30 March 2015
Issue of Writ Tuesday 31 March 2015
Publication of Notice of Election by 04:00 pm Thursday 2 April 2015
Receipt of Nominations by 10:00 am to 04:00 pm Thursday 9 April 2015
Withdrawl of Candidate 04:00 pm Thursday 9 April 2015
Appointment of Election Agents 04:00 pm Thursday 9 April 2015
Publication of Statements of Persons Nominated 05:00 pm Thursday 9 April 2015
Receipt of Registration Applications Monday 20 April 2015
Receipt of Postal Vote Applications 05:00 pm Tuesday 21 April 2015
Receipt of Proxy Vote Applications 05:00 pm Tuesday 28 April 2015
Appointment of Poll and Count Agents Wednesday 29 April 2015
First Day to Issue Replacement Lost Postal Ballot Papers Thursday 30 April 2015
Day of Poll 07:00 am to 10:00 pm Thursday 7 May 2015
Receipt of Emergency Proxy Vote Applications 05:00 pm Thursday 7 May 2015
Last Day to Issue Reissue Spoilt or Lost Postal Votes 05:00 pm Thursday 7 May 2015
Declaration of Candidates Expenses Thursday 11 June 2015
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Sample Notice of Election
NOTICE OF ELECTION
Parliamentary Election for the Bromsgrove Constituency
1. An Election is to be held of One Member of Parliament for the Bromsgrove Constituency.
2. Nomination papers must be delivered to the Acting Returning Officer, Room 8, The Council House, Burcot Lane, Bromsgrove B60 1AA on any day after the date of this notice between the hours of 10am and 4pm but no later than 4pm on Thursday, 9th April 2015.
3. Forms of nomination for the Parliamentary Election may be obtained from The Acting Returning Occier at The Council House, Burcot Lane, Bromsgrove B60 1AA who will, at the request of an elector for any electoral area prepare a nomination paper for signature
4. The required deposit may be made either by the deposit of any legal tender or by means of a banker’s draft drawn upon a bank operating in the United Kingdom.
5. If any election is contested the poll will take place on Thursday, 7th May 2015.
6. Applications, amendments or cancellations of postal votes must reach the Electoral Registration Officer, Electoral Shared Services, Town Hall, Walter Stranz Square, Redditch B98 8AH by 5pm on Tuesday, 21st April 2015.
7. Applications to vote by proxy at this election must reach the Electoral Registration Officer, Electoral Shared Services, Town Hall, Walter Stranz Square, Redditch by 5pm on Tuesday, 28th April 2015.
8. Applications to vote by proxy at this election applied for on grounds of physical incapacity, or absence in relation to occupation, employment or service, occurring after 5 pm on Tuesday, 28th April 2015, must reach the Electoral Registration Officer, Electoral Shared Services, Town Hall, Walter Stranz Square, Redditch B98 8AH by 5pm on Thursday, 7th May 2015
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CANDIDATES’ DEPOSITS AND CANDIDATES’ EXPENSES
Deposits
Rule 9 of the Parliamentary Election Rules requires that Candidates’ Deposits are made during the period allowed for nominations, closing at 4PM on Thursday 9 April 2015. The amount of the deposit is £500.
As we require funds to clear before the close of nominations, and as the period permitted for nominations is so short, we will only receive deposits in the form of Bankers’ Drafts or legal tender (£1 coins or notes of greater denomination).
Rule 53 concerns the returns of deposits. We will return the deposits for those candidates that receive more than one twentieth of the total number of valid votes that are polled by all the candidates by the legal deadline of Monday, 11 May 2015, by posting a cheque drawn upon the Acting Returning Officer’s account to the candidate or to his personal representative notified to us in writing. Forfeited deposits are sent to HM Government.
In addition to the information contained in the following Notice, candidates must receive at least 5% of the total of votes polled to be able to have their deposit returned after the election. Full details on deposits can be obtained in the Electoral Commission’s “Guidance for Candidates and Agents” – Part B. Election Expenses Comprehensive guidance on Election Expenses is contained in the Electoral Commission’s “Guidance for Candidates and Agents” – Part C. Expenditure is now governed by the “long campaign” and “short campaign” periods and is dependent upon when Parliament is dissolved. A separate note on Hustings Events is published by the Electoral Commission. Please read this carefully, as this may affect your expenses. To assist you with planning your campaign, statistics for the Register of Electors as at the publication of the notice of election (1 April 2015 Register) for the Bromsgrove Constituency is included with this document. Please note: It is neither the role nor responsibility of the Acting Returning Officer’s staff to provide guidance/advice on permitted expenditure and expenses limits.
Expenses Forms and Returns of Expenditure Expenses form can be obtained from the Electoral Commission’s website at: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance/those-we-regulate/candidates-and-agents Expenses and the necessary Agent’s and Candidate’s Declarations shall be delivered to the Acting Returning Officer within 35 days after the day on which the result is declared . Please note: It is neither the role nor responsibility of the Acting Returning Officer’s staff to provide guidance/advice on the completion of the returns and declarations. The submission of these forms is a legal requirement, and a record of all such returns and declarations are held by the Acting Returning Officer’s staff for public inspection for a period of two years. (4)
Supporting Documents Available
GENERAL OVERVIEW:
The Representation of the People Acts makes provision for the Electoral Registration Officer or for the Acting Returning Officer to supply various documents or data to candidates and their agents in an election to support them in the conduct of their campaign.
The Political Parties are requested to be mindful that printed versions of the documents are lengthy – over 72,000 entries in the electoral register and currently 10,500 entries in the absent voters lists. Whilst you can request either a paper or data copy, please be mindful of the time and resources required to produce a paper copy, compared to a data version.
Obtaining the Documents or Data
The Register of Electors, Absent Voters List and the Marked Polling Station Register/Marked Absent Voter List are all available from Electoral Shared Services upon written request – application forms for each of these items are contained in the Appendix at the back of this booklet and can either be detached or copied as required.
Completed application forms should be sent to the Electoral Shared Services Team:
Tel: 01527 881 421 E-mail: [email protected]
THE ELECTORAL REGISTER:
The Register was published on 1 December, with monthly updates made on the first working day of each month. It can be supplied to the following upon receipt of a written request :-
A person nominated to act for a A registered political party constituency party A Member of Parliament An election candidate
Some local constituency party representatives and the registered political parties have already received their copies of the Register following its publication on 1 December. The relevant regulations state that ONE copy is available per annum, which is supplied free of charge. Applications for the receipt of the Register to be made in writing – an application form is included. Please send to the Electoral Shared Services team.
THE ABSENT VOTERS LISTS:
There are three types of absent voter, namely:-
Postal Voters , Proxy Voters and Postal Proxy Voters .
In the run up to an election, the list is constantly changing. The current list is as it stands at 9AM on the day on which it is supplied. The final list is as it stands after 5PM pm on 21 st April for postal voters or 28th April for proxies.
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The Absent Voters List can be supplied to the following upon receipt of a written request :-
A person nominated to act for a A registered political party constituency party A Member of Parliament An election candidate
Applications for the receipt of the Absent Voters List must be made in writing, specifying whether the current or final list is required. There are no restrictions on the number of times that the list can be requested - application forms are included in the Appendix , but you may copy it if you require extra copies.
Please use the form as required and send to the Electoral Shared Services team. The document or data is supplied free of charge.
MARKED POLLING STATION REGISTERS – MARKED ABSENT VOTER LISTS:
After the poll has taken place, copies of the marked polling station register and marked absent voter list can be requested. Please note that the marked polling station register can only be supplied as a paper copy.
Whilst anyone can make an appointment to view the Marked Register/List, they can only be supplied to the following upon receipt of a written request :-
A person nominated to act for a A registered political party constituency party A Member of Parliament An election candidate
Applications for the receipt of the Marked Register/List must be made in writing - an application form is available from the Electoral Shared Services team.
Fees for the supply of these documents are laid down in The Representation of the People (Amendment) Regulations 2008 and are £10 administration fee, plus £2.00 for each 1,000 entries or part thereof.
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PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS 2015
Notices of Time and Place for Local Key Events Given to Agents and Candidates at the Election
Notice Given in Number of Agents who Event Accordance Time and Place may attend with Polling Agents Schedule 1, Not more that one polling Rule 30 agent may be admitted at the same time to a polling station on behalf of the same candidate.
Notice of appointment to be given to the Returning Officer by close of office on Wednesday 29 April.
( Opening of the Schedule 2, Council House, Burcot ONE agent* per Postal Votes Rules 45, 56 Lane, Bromsgrove B60 candidate at any one 1AA opening
Opening Sessions: Notice of appointment to Daily on each working day be given to the Acting from 25th April to 7th May Returning Officer before from 13:00. (Openings may the opening. be cancelled at short notice if there are insufficient postal votes returned)
A final opening at the Count at 18:00 on Thursday 7th May.
Top-slitting of Covering Envelopes (contents not removed): This will commence 2 hours before each official opening session begins.
Rejected postal votes from the preceding opening session will be available for Agents’ objections to be registered: • at end of each
session from 27th April to 6th May.
• At the conclusion of the final opening session, on Thursday 7th May.
Verification Schedule 1, See below:- SIX agents* per and Counting Rule 30 candidate th of the Votes 10.00 pm on Thursday 7 TO BE CONFIRMED May 2015. Notice of appointment to be given to the Acting Returning Officer by close of office on Wednesday 29 April 2015.
*Appropriate forms for appointment of agents will be provided after close of nomination.
COUNT VENUE:
Bromsgrove Constituency: Dolphin Centre, School Drive, Bromsgrove B60 1AY
* Note: A candidate, his or her spouse or partner, and an appointed Election Agent may attend any of these proceedings.
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Postal Voting Overview
Opening of the postal votes for the combined elections for Bromsgrove and Redditch constituencies will take place simultaneously at the following location.
Ve nue Room 48, The Council House, Burcot Lane, Bromsgrove B60 1AA (directions will be from the main entrance around the outside of the building towards the Spadesbourne Suite)
Dates Between 25 th April to Thursday 7 th May 2015. Please note that some Bank Holiday/weekend working may also be required Times Commencing at 13:00
Rejected postal votes will be available for agents’ objections to be registered at the end of each session between 27th April and 6th May; and at the conclusion of the final opening on Thursday 7th May.
Entry to the opening of postal votes is restricted to Candidates and/or the persons appointed to attend the Postal Voting Sessions. A form for the appointment of such agents is contained in the Appendix.
As at 10 March 2015, the absent voters in the Parliamentary Constituency are as follows:-
Parliamentary Constituency Postal Proxy Postal Proxy Bromsgrove 9,807 35 4
The figures are however increasing on a daily basis.
The deadlines for receipt and amendment of postal and proxy applications are as follows:- POSTAL VOTING Deadline for new applications 5pm on Tuesday 21 st April
Deadline for new postal proxy applications: 5pm on Tuesday 21 st April
Deadline for amendments or cancellation to existing 5pm on Tuesday 21 st April applications, in writing
PROXY VOTING * Deadline for new applications 5pm on Tuesday 28 th April
Deadline for amendments or cancellation to existing 5pm on Tuesday 21 st April applications Deadline for emergency applications** 5pm on Thursday 7 th May
* A person is not entitled to vote as a proxy on behalf of more than two electors. They may however vote for more than two if they are acting as a proxy of the spouse, civil partner, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, child or grandchild of the elector. ** A proxy may be appointed in the case of a medical condition, illness or incapacity or absence in relation to occupation, employment or service, occurring after r the deadline for ordinary proxy applications, subject to the appropriate attestation being provided.
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Postal Vote Opening Process – A Brief Summary
The process of dealing with the returned postal vote packs will be dealt with in various stages. Opening/top-slitting of the outer envelopes will commence prior to the start time, and these will be banded into batches of 25 envelopes.
Stage 1
• A bundle of 25 envelopes is collected from the constituency box.
• The Postal Vote Statement and Envelope A’s are extracted, and two piles are made, ensuring that the piles are kept in the same order, with the outer Envelope B’s being disregarded.
• A check is made to ensure that the ballot paper number at the top of the postal vote statement matches the number on the A envelope. If the numbers do not match, a docket is attached and the items are placed in a basket to be dealt with later.
• For all successful applications, batch header sheets are attached to the Postal Vote Statements and Envelope A’s that are being passed to the next stage of the process.
Stage 2
• Each statement will be scanned to check that the date of birth and signature are correct. If the date of birth and/or signature are missing / incorrect, a docket is attached and the items are placed in a basket to be dealt with later.
• If correct, statements are securely filed and ballot paper envelopes A are clipped with the appropriate batch header sheets and forwarded to the next table, for the next stage in the process.
• If a postal voting statement is found to be incorrect, the corresponding envelope “A” is removed from the bundle and given to a runner to be dealt with separately.
Stage 3
• Ballot papers are extracted from the remaining envelopes marked “A” and are kept FACE DOWN. A summary sheet of the number of ballot papers to be included in the count is completed.
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The Final Recording Process
• A record is kept of all rejected and provisionally rejected ballot papers/statements. • The provisionally rejected ballot papers are retained for cross-reference purposes, as they may be able to be “matched” before the end of the Count. • The rejected ballot papers (i.e. those which have incorrect or missing personal data on the postal voting statements) are recorded and placed in a receptacle. • The postal votes which have successfully been received and batched are placed in a ballot box to be included in the final count.
Attendance at Proceedings by Postal Vote Opening Agents
Rule 85A (3-4) requires that, when no match can be made, the postal voting statement is marked “rejected”. Formally appointed agents may attend the opening of the postal votes and may see the rejected statements, as well as the personal identifiers record. If they object to the Returning Officer’s decision, they can ask for the rejection to be objected to.
The rejected ballot papers will be available for inspection after each opening session on each day that such an opening takes place, with the exception of polling day, when a final inspection of that day’s postal voting statements will take place at the conclusion of the Count.
No more than two agents per candidate* may attend any opening.
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USEFUL WEBSITES
BROMSGROVE DISTRICT COUNCIL: http://www/bromsgrove.gov.uk
ELECTORAL COMMISSION: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk
REGISTER TO VOTE http://www.ogv.uk/registertovote
BOUNDARY MAPS http://www.election-maps.co.uk/index.jsp
EVERY VOTE COUNTS http://www.everyvotecounts.org.uk
PROMOTE THE VOTE http://www.promotethevote.co.uk
DIRECT GOV: http://www.direct.gov.uk
OUR VOTE, OUR VOICE: http://www.otbds.org/vote
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GUIDANCE FOR TELLERS AT ELECTIONS
This is a summary of guidance issued by the Electoral Commission, drawn up following consultation with the main political parties.
Tellers have no legal status and voters have the right to refuse to give them any information.
Tellers must: • Always remain outside the polling station
• Only enter the polling station to cast their own vote, to vote as a proxy or to accompany a voter with disabilities
• Always comply with the instructions of the Returning Officer and Presiding Officer
Tellers must not: • Be able to see or hear what is happening inside the polling station
• Impede, obstruct or intimidate voters on their way in or out of the polling station
• Demand any information relating to a voter’s electoral number, name or address
• Ask voters to re-enter the polling station to ascertain their electoral number
• Have discussions with voters that may give rise to allegations of undue influence (e.g. voting intentions, party affiliations or party campaigns)
• Display any campaign material in support of or against any particular political part or individual candidate other than a rosette
Tellers may: • Approach voters for information as they enter/leave the polling station
• Display a coloured rosette displaying the name of the candidate and/or a registered political party. While the rosette must not be oversized, it may carry a registered party description/emblem.
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Notification of requirement for secrecy, these sections apply to:
Representation of the People Act 1983 Subsections 66 (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) and (6) AT THE POLLING S TATION 66(1) The following persons:- (a) every Returning Officer and every Presiding Officer or clerk attending at a polling station, (b) every candidate or election agent or polling agent so attending, (c) every person so attending by virtue of any section 6A to 6D of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, shall maintain and aid in maintaining the secrecy of voting and shall not, except for some purpose, authorised by law, communicate to any person before the poll is closed any information as to - (i) the name of any elector or proxy for an elector who has or has not applied for a ballot paper or voted at a polling station; (ii) the number on the register of electors of any elector who, or whose proxy, has or has not applied for a ballot paper or voted at a polling station; or
(iii) the official mark. 66(3) No person shall - (a) interfere with or attempt to interfere with a voter when recording his vote; (b) otherwise obtain or attempt to obtain in a polling station information as to the candidate for whom (how) a voter in that station is about to vote or has voted; (c) communicate at any time to any person any information obtained in a polling station as to the candidate for whom (how) a voter in that station is about to vote or has voted, or as to the number (or other unique identifying mark) on the back of the ballot paper given to a voter at that station;
(d) directly or indirectly induce a voter to display his ballot paper after he has marked it so as to make known to any person the name of the candidate for whom he has or has (how he has)
not voted. 66(5) No person having undertaken to assist a blind voter to vote shall communicate at any time to any person any information as to the candidate for whom (how) that voter intends to vote or has voted, or as to the number (or other unique identifying mark) on the back of the ballot paper given for the use of that voter.
AT THE COUNTING OF VOTES 66(2) Every person attending at the counting of the votes shall maintain and aid in maintaining the secrecy of voting and shall not - (a) ascertain or attempt to ascertain at the counting of the votes the number (or other unique identifying mark) on the back of any ballot paper; (b) communicate any information obtained at the counting of the votes as to the candidate for whom any vote is given on any particular ballot paper (how any particular ballot paper has been marked). AT THE ISSUE OR RECEIPT OF POSTAL VOTES 66(4) Every person attending the proceedings in connection with the issue or the receipt of ballot papers for persons voting by post shall maintain and aid in maintaining the secrecy of the voting and shall not- (a) except for some purpose authorised by law, communicate, before the poll is closed, to any person any information obtained at those proceedings as to the official mark; or (b) except for some purpose authorised by law, communicate to any person at any time any information obtained at those proceedings as to the number (or other unique identifying mark) on the back of the ballot paper sent to any person; or (c) except for some purpose authorised by law, attempt to ascertain at the proceedings in connection with the receipt of ballot papers the number (or other unique identifying mark) on the back of any ballot paper; or (d) attempt to ascertain at the proceedings in connection with the receipt of the ballot papers the candidate for whom any vote is given in any particular ballot paper (how any particular ballot paper has been marked) or communicate any information with respect thereto obtained at those proceedings.
PENALTY 66(6) If a person acts in contravention of this section, he shall be liable on summary conviction (to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or) to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.
POSTERS AND FLY-POSTING
1. Introduction • To display any advert on private land, you need permission from the site-owner and in most cases planning permission, which may not always be granted. Signs on the highway, however, are illegal and could result in prosecution with fines of up to £2,500 per sign, plus compensation costs to cover the removal of signs and the repair of any damage.
• Under the Highways Act 1980, Town and Country Planning Act 1990, Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1992, Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act 2005, and the Local Government Act 1972, the Council can immediately remove or place ‘Cancelled’ notices on unauthorised advertisements.
2. At Elections • The Council and Worcestershire County Council do not permit any posters on Council owned buildings, vehicles or street ‘furniture’, land and highways.
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PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCY PAST ELECTION RESULTS 7th June 2001
Candidate Party Votes Neil GREGORY United Kingdom Independence 1,112 Party
Julie KIRKBRIDE The Conservative Party Candidate 23,640
Peter Michael The Labour Party Candidate 15,502 MCDONALD Alexandra Margaret Liberal Democrat 5,430 ROWLEY
TURNOUT: 67.40%
5th May 2005
Candidate Party Votes Peter Norris United Kingdom 1,919 BUCKINGHAM Independence Party
Susan Jane HASWELL Liberal Democrat 7,197
David Andrew JONES Labour Party Candidate 14,307
Conservative Party 24,387 Julie KIRKBRIDE Candidate
TURNOUT: 60.80%
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PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCY PAST ELECTION RESULTS 6th May 2010
Candidate Description Votes Cast Sam BURDEN The Labour Party Candidate 11,250
Mark Anthony FRANCE Independent 336
Sajid JAVID The Conservative Party 22,558 Candidate
Adrian David KRISS Bromsgrove Independent 2,182 Conservative
Philip LING Liberal Democrats 10,124
Steven William MORSON UK Independence Party (UKIP) 2,950
Elizabeth Jane British National Party 1,923 WAINWRIGHT Ken WHEATLEY Independent 307
TURNOUT: 71.0%
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