How to become a District Councillor  

As a District Councillor you would be representing the people of a Ward.  To become a Councillor you have to be elected to one of the 35 seats on the Council.  The District is divided into 18 Wards, all having 2 Councillors representing them with the exception of Eversley and Long Sutton Wards, which have 1 Councillor each, and Hook Ward which has 3 Councillors.  This is because of population differences within the Wards.  For information on the number of electors in each of Hart's Wards please select the link.

The Council holds elections three years in every four, which means that approximately one third of the seats will be up for election each year. Once elected a Councillor will generally serve for 4 years. Click here for details of the next planned elections in Hart.

You could be a Councillor if:

• you are 18 years old or over;
• you are a British, Commonwealth or Irish citizen or a citizen of another Member State of the European Union. Please click here for details of these nations.

AND

• you are registered as a voter in the District of Hart; OR
• you are the owner or tenant of any land or premises in the District of Hart; OR
• your principal or only place of work for the past 12 months or more has been in the District of Hart; OR
• you have lived in the District of Hart for the past 12 months.

You cannot seek election if:

• you work for the Local Authority which has the vacancy or hold a politically restricted post
• are an undischarged bankrupt
• have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment in the past 5 years
• have been disqualifed under any enactment relating to corrupt or illegal practices

Having qualified for election, you would need to be nominated, after the Notice of Election has been published, by a proposer, seconder and 8 other assentors, who all must live in the Ward for which you are seeking election.

Important Diary dates for 2011

Nomination papers will be available from the Civic Offices, Fleet from [tbc] 2011.  Nomination papers can be submitted between the [tbc] and noon on the [tbc] 2011.

If you are a prospective Independent Candidate or party agent you are invited to our agents briefing to be held at the Civic Offices on [tbc] 2011 from 7.15pm.  Please contact us in advance of this date with your details.

You need to be aware that there is a strict timetable to which all candidates must adhere.  For guidance on this and other queries, the Electoral Commission publishes a very useful guide which also includes nomination papers.  This is available on their web site at www.electoralcommission.org.uk.  This is essential reading for anyone wishing to stand as a candidate!  The guide comes in two versions, one for district elections and one for parish elections, please ensure you select the correct version.

If you wish to stand for a registered political party you would need to be authorised by that party to do so, otherwise you would have to stand as an Independent.

If you stand as a candidate, details of your electorate size will be listed in the download section to the right during the election period, these figures can be used in the completion of your statutory expenses return.

Having been successfully nominated, you will almost certainly have to proceed to a contested poll.  There are certain rules which must be observed in conducting your campaign and there is a limit on how much money you may spend (more information on this is available in the candidates guide).

If you have any questions which are not answered by the guide, please contact us.