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The following page aims to give general guidance only and should not be treated as an authoritative statement of the law. The law is subject to change and therefore if you wish to stand as a candidate you must contact the Electoral Services office for a nomination pack.
Standing for Election
To qualify as a candidate for election of Mayor a person must satisfy the following criteria on the day they are nominated and on polling day. They must:
- have attained the age of at least 18 years; and
- be a British Citizen, a qualifying Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of any other member state of the European Union
The candidate must also meet at least one of the following four qualifications on the day they are nominated and on polling day:
- they are registered as a local government elector for the local authority area in which they wish to stand; or
- they have occupied as owner or tenant any land or premises in the local authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day they are nominated; or
- their main or only place of work during the last 12 months has been in the local authority area; or
- they have lived in the local authority area during the whole of the previous 12 months.
Deposit
A £500 deposit is required at an election for a local authority elected mayor. This must be submitted before the close of nominations. The deposit must be paid either in cash or by banker’s draft. Your deposit will be returned after the election if you receive 5% of the total number of votes polled by all the candidates, (first preference vote only) otherwise it is forfeited.
In order to stand for election, you do not necessarily have to live in the ward where the election is taking place. However, it will be your job as councillor to represent the interests of those living in that ward.
To qualify as a candidate for election for Torbay Council, a person must satisfy the following criteria on the day they are nominated and on polling day they:
- Have attained the age of at least 18 years; and
- Be a British citizen, a citizen of another Commonwealth Country, a citizen of the Irish Republic, or a citizen of another member state of the European Union.
The candidate must also meet at least one of the following four qualifications on the day they are nominated and on polling day:
- They are registered as a local government elector for the local authority area in which they wish to stand; or
- They have been an owner or tenant of any land or premises in the local authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day they are nominated; or
- Their main or only place of work during the last 12 months has been in the local authority area; or
- They have lived in the local authority area during the whole of the last 12 months
To qualify as a candidate and to continue to hold the office of town councillor a person must satisfy the following criteria on the day they are nominated and on polling day:
- Be a British citizen, a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or a citizen of another member state of the European Union; and
- Have attained the age of at least 18 years
In addition, the candidate must qualify under at least one of the following conditions:
- On the day of election and thereafter continue to be registered as a local government elector for the parish (meaning the whole of the area of the parish);
- During the whole of the 12 months preceding the date of nomination to have occupied as owner or tenant land or other premises in the parish;
- During the 12 months preceding the date of nomination the candidate’s principal or only place of work was in the parish; or
- During the whole of the 12 months preceding the date of nomination to have been resident in the parish or within 4.8 kilometres of it (of its parish boundary)
If you are interested in standing for election in May 2011 please contact the Electoral Servicdes office for a nomination pack and for further information on standing for election in Torbay please contact the Electoral Services office or visit the Electoral Commission 
website.
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Contact Electoral Services
- Tel: 01803 207171
- Email: electoral.registration@torbay.gov.uk
- Fax: 01803 207112
