When Are Elections Held?

Elmbridge Borough Council has 60 councillors. 20 councillors are elected each year in three years out of four. Each councillor serves for four years. There will be elections for Elmbridge councillors in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

• Elections are usually held on the first Thursday of May each year.
  
• Elections for Surrey County councillors take place in years when there are no elections for Elmbridge councillors. The next County Council elections will be in 2013.
  
• UK Parliamentary (general) elections must be held at least every five years. There is no set date for general elections but the next general election must be held in 2010 at the latest.
  
• European Parliamentary elections are held throughout the European Union every five years. The next European Parliamentary elections will be in June 2014.
  
• Claygate Parish Council has 10 members. They are elected every four years. The next parish elections will be in May 2011.
  

|View the Electoral Commissions voter website

How Can I stand for Election?

Local Elections

Any British, Irish, Commonwealth or other European Union citizen aged 18 or over can stand at a Borough Council, County Council or Parish Council election. You must live, work or own land or property in the Borough (or County or Parish). You do not need to be a member of a political party.

You must get your nomination paper signed by ten people registered to vote in the ward (or County Division) in which you wish to stand. At a parish election you must get your paper signed by two people registered to vote in the parish. The closing date for nominations is about 4 weeks before the election.

UK Parliamentary Elections

Any British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen aged 18 or over can stand at a UK parliamentary election. You do not have to live or work in the constituency in which you wish to stand. You do not need to be a member of a political party.

You must get your nomination paper signed by ten people registered to vote in the constituency, and pay a deposit of £500 which will be returned to you if you get 5% or more of the votes cast. The closing date for nominations at a parliamentary election is 6 days after the election has been called.

European Union elections

Any British, Irish, Commonwealth or other European Union citizen aged 18 or over can stand at a European Parliamentary election. You do not have to live or work in the region in which you wish to stand. You do not need to be a member of a political party.

You must pay a deposit of £5,000 which will be returned to you if you get 2.5% or more of the votes cast. The closing date for nominations is about 4 weeks before the election.

Elections are held using a system of proportional representation with several Members of the EU Parliament (MEPs) representing a region. Elmbridge is in the South East region, which has 10 MEPs.

For more information about standing as a candidate at any election please |contact Electoral Services or visit the |Electoral Commissions website.