1. Party lists, candidates and agents at the regional election National Assembly for Wales election – 5 May 2016

2. Topics Who’s who election timetable qualifications disqualifications nominations agents postal votes polling day counting of votes candidates expenses integrity contacts

3. Who’s who The Regional Returning Officer [insert name] is responsible for the regional election and the allocation of regional seats. The Constituency Returning Officers are responsible for the constituency election and managing polling stations. The Electoral Registration Officers in the region are responsible for maintaining the register of electors and absent voters’ lists. Contact details are provided later

4. Election timetable Publication of Notice of ElectionNot later than – 30 March 2016 Nominations commence10am on any working day after publication of Notice of Election Close of nominations and deadline for withdrawals of candidature 4pm – 7 April 2016 Notification of appointment of election agents4pm – 7 April 2016 Publication of statement of persons nominated and notice of poll 4pm – 8 April 2016 Deadline for application to register to voteMidnight – 18 April 2016 Deadline for new postal votes/changes to postal or proxy votes 5pm - 19 April 2016

5. Election timetable (cont’d) Deadline for applications for new proxy votes5pm – 26 April 2016 Appointment of counting and polling agents27 April 2016 Polling day5 May – 7am to 10pm Deadline to apply for an emergency proxy5pm – 5 May 2016 Replacement for lost/spoilt postal votes ends5pm – 5 May 2016 Alterations to the register to correct clerical error9pm – 5 May 2016 Return of spending returns to the RRO by individual regional candidates + 35 days from result

6. Qualifications To qualify as a candidate you must (on the day you are nominated and on polling day): –be at least 18 years of age –be a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of any other member state of the European Union

7. Disqualifications A person cannot be a candidate if, at the time of your nomination or your election: –you are a full-time member of the judiciary –you are a civil servant –you are a member of the armed forces –you are a member of the police force –you are a member of a legislature of any country or territory outside the Commonwealth (other than Ireland)

8. Disqualifications –you are employed as a member of the staff of the Assembly –you hold an office that is mentioned in the National Assembly for Wales (Disqualification) Order 2015 –you are currently subject to a bankruptcy restrictions order or debt relief restrictions order made by a court in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, or your estate has been sequestrated by a court in Scotland and you have not been discharged –you are imprisoned for more than a year or have been found guilty of certain corrupt or illegal electoral practices

9. Dual candidacy You can be a candidate for both a constituency and a region, but the constituency must be within the region You must stand for the same party in both contests, or be an independent in both contests You cannot stand in more than one constituency or in more than one region

10. Nominations Nomination papers must be submitted to the Regional Returning Officer by 4pm on 7 April 2016 [insert details of when and where they can be delivered]

11. Completing nomination papers Take care when completing your nomination papers, as mistakes may invalidate your or the party’s nomination. Complete nomination papers early and arrange for us to provide an informal check [Include details on any particular informal check arrangements].

12. Submitting nomination papers The party list nomination form (including the certificate authorising the use of a description and emblem) may only be delivered by the party’s Nominating Officer (or by someone appointed in writing to act on their behalf) For an individual regional candidate, the nomination form must be delivered by yourself or your election agent Consents to nomination can be delivered by anyone, but it should be someone you trust

13. The deposit A candidate or party list must deposit £500 with the relevant RRO so that their nomination is valid. Payment can be made using legal tender (cash) or a UK banker’s draft. [The RRO may also accept a deposit made by building society cheque, a debit or credit card or an electronic funds transfer. If offered as a payment method, include details here.] If the candidate or party list obtains more than 5% of the valid votes cast across the region, the deposit will be returned.

14. Nomination form – individual regional candidates If you wish to stand as an individual regional candidate, your form must contain: your full name your full home address the signature of one subscriber (this can be your signature, or the signature of someone else) You also have an option to include on the form: any names you commonly use that are different from any forename(s) or surname that you have (and which you wish to appear on the ballot paper) a description – ‘Independent’, ‘Annibynnol’ or both

15. Nomination form – party lists Party list nomination forms must contain: the full name of each candidate on the list in the order they are to be elected, up to a maximum of 12 candidates the full home address of each candidate the name and signature of the party’s Nominating Officer or a person authorised by them to nominate the list a description which must be either the registered party name or one of the party’s registered descriptions (in either English, Welsh or both) authorisation of the use of that description the signature of one subscriber (this can the signature of a party list candidate, or the signature of someone else

16. Nomination form – party list (cont’d) There is also an option to include: any names party list candidates commonly use that are different from any forename(s) or surname that they have (and which they wish to appear on the ballot paper) A request to use an emblem on the ballot paper.

17. Consent to nomination All candidates must consent to their nomination. On the consent to nomination form candidates must confirm that they are not disqualified from being a Member of the National Assembly for Wales and that they are not an individual or party list candidate at the same election in any other electoral region

18. Consent to nomination The consent must also contain: –the candidate’s name and an address within the constituency, an adjoining constituency, or in a county or county borough which is partly comprised in or adjoins the constituency –the name, address and signature of a witness

19. Election agent The election agent is the person responsible for the proper management of the campaign and in particular the financial management. All individual regional candidates and party lists must have an election agent. Individual regional candidates can act as their own agent if they wish. A candidate on the party list can be the party list’s election agent. The appointment of the election agent must be declared to the Regional Returning Officer before 4pm on 7 April 2016.

20. Other agents Sub-agents The election agent may appoint sub-agents to act on their behalf in the region, as long as their areas do not overlap. The agent must give written notice to the RRO by 27 April 2016. Polling and counting agents The CRO requires notice in writing of any people appointed as polling agents and any persons nominated to attend the counting of the votes by 27 April 2016.

21. Other agents Postal vote agents The appointment of postal voting agents attending a particular opening session must be made before the start of the session. The CRO will give 48 hours’ notice.

22. Access to the electoral register / list of absent voters

23. Registration You are uniquely placed to encourage people to register to vote. You should encourage people to register as soon as possible. The deadline for applying for the election is 18 April 2016. Individuals can register online at https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. It only takes a few minutes.

24. Registration When discussing registering to vote with individuals, you will need to make them aware that they will need: –their National Insurance number, –date of birth and address to register. People who do not have or cannot find their National Insurance Number can still register, but they may need to provide further information. If so, they will be contacted by the ERO.

25. Campaigning dos and don’ts Do use imprints on all your campaign material, including websites. Do comply with planning rules relating to advertising hoardings and large banners. Do make sure outdoor posters are removed 2 weeks after the election. Do not produce material that looks like a poll card. Do not pay people to display your adverts (unless they display adverts as part of their normal business).

26. Code of conduct for campaigners Campaigners are an essential element of a healthy democracy, but their activities should not bring into question the integrity of the electoral process. Electoral registration and absent vote applications: –Ensure forms fully confirm to the requirements of electoral law –Include the EROs address for the return of forms –Ensure unaltered applications are sent to ERO within two working days. –Make sure electors understand implications of applying for an absent vote. –Do not encourage postal ballot pack redirection. –Do not encourage electors to appoint a campaigner as proxy.

27. Code of conduct for campaigners Postal ballot packs: –Never touch a postal ballot paper –Never observe electors completing their postal vote. –Never handle or take any completed ballot paper or postal ballot pack from voters Campaigning outside polling stations: –You are allowed to put your messages to voters on polling day, including public spaces outside polling places –Keep access to polling places and the pavements around polling places clear to allow voters to enter.

28. Polling day Polling stations open from 7am to 10pm Office open [x]am to [x]pm for queries or problems relating to the administration of the election –contact the Electoral Commission for any queries about a candidate’s campaign literature (contact details shown later) Voters in the polling station or in a queue outside the polling station at 10 pm can apply for a ballot paper Postal votes – can be handed into polling stations within the constituency or delivered to the elections office until 10pm. A person in a queue at a polling station at 10pm waiting to hand in postal vote can do so after 10pm.

29. Counting of votes and allocation of regional seats [Insert local arrangements for the counting of National Assembly election votes and allocation of regional seats] Count centres will open to candidates, agents and spectators from [x] The count and allocation of regional seats will be held in: –[insert count locations/addresses] –[insert collation centre address] Make sure appointments for counting agents are submitted to the CRO by 27 April 2016.

30. Spending issues

31. Election spending The time when spending and donation rules apply is called the ‘regulated period’. This begins the day after you officially become a candidate, and ends on polling day, 5 May 2016. The earliest date you can officially become a candidate is the date the National Assembly for Wales is dissolved, 6 April 2016.

32. Election spending Individual regional candidates must keep within the spending limit and keep separate records of spending used during the regulated period, and donations you receive towards that spending. You will also need to keep separate records of any personal expenses. Party list candidates cannot incur expenses on their own behalf, and spending incurred by the party counts towards the party’s regional spending limit.  Party list candidates must give a written statement of personal expenses they have paid to their regional agent within 21 days of the election result being declared.

33. Spending limits Details about the spending limits for candidates can be found in Part 3 of the Commission’s guidance for candidates and agents Further details about spending limits for parties can be found in the Commission’s guidance for political parties

34. Spending returns Individual regional candidates – their election agents must deliver a candidate’s spending return to the RRO within 35 calendar days of the declaration of result of the election. Individual regional candidates and their election agents must deliver declarations vouching for the candidate’s election spending return to the RRO. The election agent’s declaration must be delivered at the same time as the return. Generally all candidates’ declarations must be delivered within 7 working days of the election agent submitting the return. Party list candidates – the party will submit the return. Party list candidates must submit a declaration form to the RRO within 7 working days of the party submitting the return, stating to the best of your knowledge, the return is correct.

35. Integrity issues

36. Police single point of contact (SPOC) [Name and contact details of SPOC]

37. Contacts

38. Elections office of the RRO – [insert] Constituency Returning Officers – [insert] Electoral Registration Officers – [insert] Highways department – [insert] Electoral Commission contacts –infowales@electoralcommission.org.uk –Tel: 0333 103 1929

39. Questions

40. Thank you Please ensure you take a copy of your party /candidate pack with you.