Frequently Asked Questions.
Standing for election to a council or for a parliamentary seat sounds daunting.
Click here for a video tutorial to guide you through the process.
In reality it is a simple and straightforward process but we understand that you will have many questions and we try to answer the more common ones here. If your question isn’t covered here please email [email protected].
We want people to stand as independents- because you will get more votes and it’s better aligned with the decentralist approach that runs throughout the freedom community. Our aim is to facilitate that by providing the support and assistance that is associated with some of the better run political parties.
Q.What does it cost to stand for election.
A. Parliamentary elections have a deposit of £500 that is returned if you receive more than 5% of the vote. There is no deposit for council elections.
Basic campaigning on top of this would cost around £70 for a set of A5 leaflets for an average sized council ward. A full set of leaflets for a parliamentary seat will cost about £800 but will delivered free of charge by the Royal Mail.
Q. Is there a limit on what I can spend campaigning?
A. Yes there is . These will be available on the Electoral Commission website and will be notified to you when you submit your nomination papers. For a council ward it is usually £1500 £2000. For a parliamentary seat it is around £100,000. You will need to complete a return after the election detailing what you spent during the campaign.
Q. Can I stand in more than One seat or ward?
A. Strangely the answer to this is yes you can provided you meet the qualification criteria.If you were elected in more than one location you would have to choose one to represent.
Q. Do I need to live in the ward/seat to be a candidate ?
A. Not for parliamentary seats. You can stand anywhere in the UK. But it’s much better to stand somewhere you have strong connections with, which will usually be where you live.
For council elections you must qualify for the council area but not the individual ward. So for example you could live on the South Side of Doncaster but stand in a ward on the North side. You qualify by 1) being on the electoral roll for that council area or 2) carrying out your primary employment in that council area or 3) owning property there.
Q. What happens if I get elected ?
A. Firstly don’t panic. The quality of most councillors and MPs is depressingly low. So anyone who is committed to their local area and prepared to work at representing their electors can almost certainly do a better job than most of the current incumbents.
Being an MP is a full time and exceptionally well paid job. Being a councillor is best thought of as a part time job for which you will receive some renumeration. Councils give genreally good training for newly elected councillors. In terms of the wider duties and responsibilities f a councillor this is the best resource.
Q. What is a by-election
A. Most council elections are scheduled. General elections where all parliamentary seats are contested must be held at least every five years. If a councillor or MP dies or retires in between scheduled/ general elections then a By- Election is held. This is an election in just that seat or ward. These can be an excellent opportunity to platform freedom in an election in an area where there might not be any other contests for several years.
Q. How can in I find out about upcoming by-elections ?
A. Parliamentary by-elections will usually receive publicity in the national media. Once you are interested in standing you should make contact with the relevant council’s election services department and ask to be provided with a nomination pack. Info [email protected] if you need help.
Council by-elections can be much harder to spot. You need to closely monitor your council’s election services website for notices of elections. This site can help but often posts notification very closing to the nominations closing date.