Fairfield By-Election 2024 Guidance for candidates and agents

Electoral Enquiries

Enquiries relating to how to apply for a postal vote or proxy vote or for a Voter Authority Certificate or to enquire about polling station locations or any matter relating to the elections please contact the core electoral services team. The direct line for these enquiries is 01642 526196.

Enquiries from Prospective Candidates

If your enquiry relates to Community Ward matter, please email FOIandcomplaint@stockton.gov.uk. The matter will be looked into by the Information Governance Team and referred to the relevant current Ward Councillor who would take any appropriate action.

Other enquires or requests for service will be managed as part of existing Stockton on Tees Borough Council Customer Feedback and Complaints Policy and procedures.

Prospective candidates and existing ward Councillors should support constituents to self-serve in reporting matters directly in the following ways as this delivers the quickest result/ fix.

Stockton residents can submit service requests and access many Council services by creating a 'My Council Account' that is personalised to them?  With an account you can: 

• view personalised content across the site 
• check your next bin collection date 
• view your Ward Councillors 
• view any service requests made with us and in some cases track their progress 
• view any bookings you have made with us 

To create an account, visit the My Council page.

Voter ID

The Elections Act 2022 introduced the requirement for electors to identify themselves by showing an accepted form of photographic ID before being issued with a ballot paper.

Accepted photographic ID include:

• a passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state, or a Commonwealth country
• a driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state
• a biometric immigration document
• an identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
• a Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
• a Blue Badge
• a national identity card issued by an EEA state
• an Older Person's Bus Pass
• a Disabled Person's Bus Pass
• an Oyster 60+ Card
• a Freedom Pass
• a Scottish National Entitlement Card issued in Scotland
• a 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card issued in Wales
• a Disabled Person's Welsh Concessionary Travel Card issued in Wales
• a Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person's SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• an Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland

Expired photo identification will be accepted so long as the photo remains a good enough likeness to be able to identify the elector.

Find out more on the Electoral Commission website.

Voter Authority Certificates

The Council will provide a Voter Authority Certificate free to eligible electors who apply for one. Electors who do not have acceptable photo ID will be able to use this in the polling station to vote. Electors are able to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate on the Gov.uk website, in writing, or in person at the Council Offices.

The statutory deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate for these local elections will be 5pm on Wednesday 11 September 2024.

Temporary Voter Authority Certificates

After this deadline, the RO also has the ability to issue temporary certificates locally for a specific election if he is satisfied that the issued permanent Voter Authority Certificate may not be delivered in time. Temporary certificates will be made available for collection in person from the Council Offices.

Emergency proxy relating to voter ID

Where an elector's photographic identification (including previously issued Voter Authority Certificates) has been lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged beyond use after the application deadline, the Electoral Registration Officer will be able to allow the appointment of an emergency proxy up until 5pm on polling day.

Canvassing

Firstly, in relation to political party canvassing and delivery of political leaflets in concierge controlled flats, the agreed position is that access for such activities will be denied unless individual tenants are expecting a visit.

There is no general ban on political parties' canvassing in Stockton High Street or any other public place, which would include political parties using their own stalls (as opposed to the Council's stalls) for such purposes. There is however guidance on structures on the high street available from the Town Centre Markets and Cleansing Manager to whom an application is required before any structures are permitted.

When canvassing or campaigning in this way, care should however be taken to avoid causing any obstruction or potentially committing any public order or similar offences.

The Council has also adopted (in 1982) byelaws for the Good Rule and Governance of the Borough which provide that "no person shall in any street, or public place for the purpose of selling or advertising any article or obtaining custom, tout or importune to the annoyance or obstruction of passengers".

Whilst this is not intended to prohibit political campaigning, such as handing out leaflets, or verbally encouraging people to vote (whether for a specific party or generally), it would probably preclude activities designed to encourage people to sign up as members of a political party, especially if a fee or donation was involved. "Annoyance or obstruction of passengers" would also be a required element of any alleged breach of the byelaw.

Candidates or political parties wishing to use Stockton High Street or any of the other Town Centres controlled by the Council in this way, will need to contact Richard Beddard (Markets and Town Centre Manager) in advance. The contact telephone number is 01642 527745 and the email address is richard.beddard@stockton.gov.uk.

Political Advertising

Any complaints about election advertisements are to be directed to the Customer Services Team. The Assistant Director for Community Services and Transport (Craig Willows) will adopt the following procedure:

• if there is no doubt that election advertisements have been placed on council owned street furniture, property, land they will be removed and stored at Cowpen Depot Cowpen Lane Billingham TS23 4DD and will be made available for collection by the parties concerned
• if it is not immediately clear that the election advertisements have been placed on council owned street furniture, property, land checks will be made. If it proves to be the case that election advertisements are on council owned street furniture, property, land then the relevant agent will be contacted and given 24 hours to remove material or the Council will arrange to do so in default. Any material removed by the Council will be stored at Cowpen Depot Cowpen Lane Billingham TS23 4DD and will be made available for collection by the parties concerned

In both of the above scenarios, the relevant agent will be informed of the removal and advised that advertisements / material is available for collection.

Should candidates or agents be unsure whether or not the street furniture/property/land is Council owned prior to placing advertisements then they can contact Craig Willows on 01642 527179 or Steve Bowerbank on 01642 527743 for clarification and guidance.

Electoral Commission Guidance

The Electoral Commission has produced a code of conduct for campaigners which sets out a summary of the law and offers advice about how these individuals should conduct themselves during an election or referendum campaign. 

Please bear this in mind if you are campaigning for yourself or others, and please bring it to the attention of those who campaign for you.

In addition, the Electoral Commission has full guidance on its website which includes information on spending limits is available for candidates and agents.

Advice regarding electoral imprints can also found on the relevant Electoral Commission web page.