Skip to main content Flintshire County Council Logo

Alert Section

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 range of disqualifications is complex. It is the responsibility of the candidate to check that they are not disqualified for any reason before submitting their nomination papers. It is a criminal offence to make a false statement on your nomination papers as to your qualification.

In order to stand for election to the County Council you must be 18 years of age or over and be a British citizen, an eligible 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 Flintshire
  • Have occupied as owner or tenant any land or premises in Flintshire 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 Flintshire
  • Have lived in Flintshire during the whole of the last 12 months.

If you are standing for election to a Town or Community Council the qualifications are as above, except the area covers the Town or Community Council area rather than the local authority area. The final qualification is also replaced to needing to live within 3 miles (4.8km) of the Town or Community 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. 

Nominations can be obtained from the Returning Officer or the Electoral Commission’s website and there are strict requirements as to the completion of the nomination paper to determine whether it is valid or not.

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 or the word – Independent or Annibynnol or both
  • Details of your registration with political parties for the previous 12 months
  • 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
  • The signature of a witness who supports your candidate’s signature to the nomination paper
  • A home address form - which enables you 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 https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/candidate-or-agent/local-elections-wales

More information on standing as a Town/Community Councillor and the nomination process is available here https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/candidate-or-agent/community-council-elections-wales

Nomination Papers will need to be delivered to County Hall, Mold. Nomination papers cannot be accepted by post. It will be possible to submit your nomination paper electronically and details of how to do that will be available on the notice of election. 

What’s 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

Currently at the County Council level descriptions of Independent (and or Welsh equivalent) or the description of a political party are allowed. Town and Communities were previously allowed any description up to 6 words (retired, farmer, housewife, existing councillor etc). New rules bring Town and 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 Town or Community. Only now needs one witness which could be anybody to support the nomination including the candidate themselves.

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 are 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.