Legal requirements to stand as a Mayoral candidate

To be able to stand as a candidate, on the day of nomination and on the day of election you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be a British, qualifying Commonwealth citizen, or national of an EU member state
• In addition, you must meet at least one of the following qualifications:
• Registered as a local government elector, within the combined county authority area
• Occupied as owner or tenant any land or premises in the combined county authority area during the whole 12 months preceding nomination
• Principal or only place of work (including unpaid) during last 12 months in the combined county authority area
• Lived in the combined county authority area during the last 12 months

There are certain people who are disqualified from standing for Mayor. A person cannot be a candidate if they:

• Are employed by the combined county authority or a constituent council, or hold a paid office under the combined county authority or a constituent council (including joint boards or committees).
• Candidates may be ‘employed by the local authority’ if they work at certain schools, fire services, police or health services
• Are subject of a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order (or interim restrictions order) in England or Wales
• Have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three months or more (inc. suspended sentence) without option of a fine, during the 5 years before polling day
• Are serving a disqualification due to being found guilty of a corrupt or illegal practice by an election court
• Hold a politically restricted post
• (For polls on or after 2 May 2024) You have been convicted of an intimidatory criminal offence motivated by hostility towards a candidate, future candidate or campaigner or holder of a relevant elective office.

This is not an exhaustive list, and further information can be found on the Electoral Commission's Website.

The full range of disqualifications is complex, if you are in any doubt about whether you are disqualified, you must seek out your own legal counsel. As we will not be able to confirm whether you are disqualified.

Nomination Papers and Deposit

If you wish to stand as a candidate you must complete nomination papers and submit them by 4pm on 5th April 2024. 

Click here to download the nomination papers, for the Combined County Authority Mayor. 

For your nomination to be valid, the sum of £5,000 must be deposited by the deadline for nominations, 4pm on 5th April 2024.

The deposit can be made using:

• Electronic transfer
• Online Credit or debit card payment
• Building Society Cheque
• Cash (British pounds only)
• A UK banker’s draft 

Please be aware, that there may be a fee charged by the bank or credit card company for the transaction, in which case you will be required to pay any additional fees as well as the £5,000 deposit.

Unless the person making the deposit is your agent and you have notified us of their appointment, the person making the deposit must at the time they make it give their name and address.

The deposit will be returned if you poll more than 5% of the total number of valid votes cast in the combined county authority area. Those candidates who have polled less than, or equal to, 5% of the total number of valid votes cast will lose their deposit.

East Midlands Combined County Authority Mayoral Election – Candidate Briefing Session

Please see the briefing slides from the candidate briefing session

• EMCCA Candidates Briefing

Deposit and Booklet Payments 

Make your deposit, to stand as a validly nominated candidate, for the East Midlands Combined County Authority Mayor.

Make your payment, to be included in the mayoral election booklet, for the East Midlands Combined County Authority Mayor