Information for potential candidates

Runcorn and Helsby Parliamentary By-Election

On Thursday 1 May 2025 there will be a parliamentary by-election for a Member of Parliament for the Runcorn and Helsby constituency.

The (Acting) Returning Officer for the constituency is Halton Borough Council Chief Executive, Stephen Young. The role of the (A)RO is to ensure that the election is administered effectively and that, as a result, the experience of voters and those standing for election is a positive one.

Standing as a Candidate

If you intend to stand as a candidate in the election or act as an election agent for a candidate, please contact Halton Borough Council’s Elections Team at electoral@halton.gov.uk to provide your name, email address, and intention to stand as an independent or political party candidate.

By providing this information you consent to receive emailed updates and official notices relevant to the parliamentary by-election, you can opt-out at any time.

Key Dates

Candidate forms

Nomination papers can be downloaded from the Electoral Commission's website, where you will also find guidance on how to complete the relevant forms.

Candidate spending return forms can also be found on the same website.

To request the electoral register, or postal voter lists, for the constituency use these forms:

• Candidate Register Request Form
  
• Candidate Absent Voters List Request Form

Please note that these request forms will be shared with the Electoral Registration Officer for Cheshire West and Cheshire who is responsible for the Electoral Register in part of the constituency.

The Elections Team can email the nomination forms to you or print them for collection from the Elections office upon request.

Nomination forms must be hand-delivered to the location stated on the Notice of Election by the candidate, their agent, or a person that they trust.

Other forms may be emailed to the Elections Team.

Candidate deposits

For a candidate’s nomination to be valid, the sum of £500 must be deposited with the (Acting) Returning Officer by the deadline for nominations.

Deposits can be made by bank transfer. Please contact the Elections Team to request the bank details.

Restrictions on campaigning

Election materials must not be displayed on Council property or street furniture. If you see any election material displayed on Council property or street furniture, please alert the Elections Team at electoral@halton.gov.uk.

Councillors must not use Halton Borough Council headed paper, logo, Coat of Arms, and “halton.gov.uk” email addresses for election purposes, and they should not include these Council email addresses in any election materials.

Candidates can use schools and community premises free-of-charge for election purposes, with certain restrictions. Candidates can use these within the constituency where they are standing at reasonable times (or an adjacent area if no other venues are available). The candidate must use the room only for the purpose of holding public meetings to promote or procure votes in the forthcoming election.

Tellers

Candidates may employ tellers outside polling stations to record who has voted. Tellers are not allowed inside the polling place, the building the polling station is in.

They have no legal status and voters can refuse to give information to them.

Tellers cannot impede or interfere with the administration of the election and must comply with instructions issued by election staff.

Tellers may remind voters as they approach the polling station that they will need to provide photo ID in order to be issued with a ballot paper. However, tellers must not ask to see or check any voter’s photo ID themselves.

Campaigners are allowed to put their messages to voters in public spaces outside polling places, but tellers should not be campaigning while also acting as a teller.

Postal voting, polling and counting agents

Postal voting agents may be appointed to observe the process of postal vote opening. Please note that ballot papers are kept face down for the duration of the opening process in accordance with the secrecy requirements.

Polling agents may be appointed, but there is no requirement to do so. Their purpose is to observer the poll and to detect personation in a polling station. No more than one polling agent may be admitted to a polling station at the same time on behalf of the same candidate.

Counting agents may attend the verification and counting of votes to observe the proceedings but are not allowed to touch the ballot papers at any stage of the proceedings. The A(RO) will confirm the number of counting agents each candidate is permitted to appoint closer to the date of the count. Appointments for counting agents and count attendance is non-transferable past the deadline date.

Appointments of polling and counting agents must be made in writing to the A(RO) by no later than five working days before the poll. Any appointments made after this date will not be valid.

Postal Voting Agent Appointment Form

Polling Agent Appointment Form

Counting Agent Appointment Form

Postal vote handling by political campaigners

Since 2024, it is a criminal offence for a political campaigner to handle any postal vote other than their own, that of a close relative, or someone they provide regular care for.

You should direct electors to post their postal votes back as soon as possible, or hand them in themselves at a polling station within the constituency up to 10pm on polling day. If a political campaigner handles another person’s postal vote, that vote may be rejected.

Candidate spending

All candidates must submit spending returns by the date listed in the Key Dates section above.

The spending limit for candidates during the regulated period at a UK Parliamentary by-election is £180,050.

Contact information

If you have any queries on the administration of the election, please email the Elections Team at electoral@halton.gov.uk

If you have any queries on election spending or candidate guidance, please contact the Electoral Commission on 0333 103 1928 or infoengland@electoralcommission.org.uk