Standing for Election
Qualifications and Disqualifications
To stand for election you will need to ensure you meet the required qualifications and are not disqualified from standing.
The full list of disqualifications from standing as a councillor can be found in section 80 of the Local Government Act 1972.
In order to stand for election to the County Council you must be 18 years of age or over and be a British citizen, qualifying commonwealth citizen or a citizen of any other member state of the European Union or a qualifying foreign citizen. You must also meet at least one of the following additional qualifications:
- Be a registered local government elector within Monmouthshire
- Have occupied as owner or tenant any land or premises in Monmouthshire during the whole of the 12 months before the day they are nominated
- Have their main or only place of work during the last 12 months within Monmouthshire
- Have lived in Monmouthshire during the whole of the last 12 months.
If you are standing for election to a community/town council the qualifications are as above except the area covers the community/town council area rather than the local authority area. The final qualification is also replaced to needing to live within 4.8km of the community/town council you are seeking election to.
Nomination Papers
Each candidate seeking election must complete and submit a nomination paper for the ward they want to represent. The nomination period will run from late March until 4pm on the 5th April 2022.
Nominations can be obtained from the Returning Officer or the Council website* and there are strict requirements as to the completion of the nomination paper to determine whether it is valid or not.
*Nomination papers are currently being prepared by the Electoral Commission based on the new legislation and should be available soon.
The nomination paper must include:
- Your full names and address
- A commonly known as name if you use one
- A description, particularly important if you stand for a political party
- The signature of a supporter to your nomination from within the ward that you wish to stand for election
- A declaration as to how you are qualified to stand for election based on the above criteria and confirmation you are not disqualified from standing for election
- Details of your registration with political parties for the previous 12 months
- A home address form - which enables you to to keep your home address from being disclosed
- Details of election agents, if applicable and supporting document from the political party you are standing for.
More information on standing as a County Councillor and the nomination process is available here.
Nomination packs and information on how you can submit nomination papers to stand for election are available on the homepage.
Whats New
The Local Elections (Principal Areas) (Wales) Rules 2021 and The Local Election (Communities) (Wales) Rules 2021 change the nomination process to previous elections. Key changes to previous rules are highlighted below.
Descriptions
County level currently only allows descriptions of Independent (and or Welsh equivalent) or the description of a political party. Communities were previously allowed any description up to 6 words (retired, farmer, housewife, existing councillor etc).New rules bring communities in line with County Council
Witness Only Requirement
No longer a need for nominations to have proposers from within the ward they are standing. Previously 10 for County, 2 for Community. Only now needs one witness to sign and provide their name and address on the nomination with no restrictions on who can act as your witness.
Home Address Form
Home addresses can now be removed from the ballot paper and notices for personal security and will display the locality in which they live. A separate form will be included in the nomination pack for these purposes.
Political Membership Declaration
Each candidate will need to provide details of their political party membership for the previous 12 months unless it is the same as the party they standing for election. If standing as an independent candidate but a member of a political party, you will need to declare this information. Membership details will be published on statement of persons nominated.
Who will I be up against?
Following the close of nominations at 4pm on 5th April 2022, if more valid nomination papers are submitted than there are seats available then an election will be held on the 5th May 2022.
If there are the same number or less seats to valid nomination papers submitted, then those candidates who have submitted nomination papers will be automatically elected to those seats.
A list of all candidates standing for election will be published on the Council website by 4pm on the 6th April 2022.