Guidance for Candidates and Agents

Overview 

On Thursday 2 May 2024 the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Mayoral Election is taking place. 

Candidate and Agent management for the duration of the election period will be overseen by the Office for the Combined Authority Returning Officer (CARO), which is based at the offices of Greater Manchester Combined Authority. 

Nominations 

The nomination period for this election runs from Wednesday 27 March 2024 to Friday 5 April 2024. 

Nomination papers can be submitted between 10am and 4pm on any working day between Wednesday 27 March 2024 and Friday 5 April 2024, which is the nomination deadline. The CARO has no discretion to accept papers outside these times. 

Please note that nomination papers cannot be delivered on Friday 29 March 2024 or Monday 1 April 2024, which are both public holidays. 

The papers must be delivered to the Performance Space, at Manchester Central Library, St Peter’s Square, Manchester, M2 5PD, during the times specified above.  

Nomination papers can be accessed online (DOCX, 119KB), or by contacting the Office for the CARO using the contact details listed below. 

Nomination papers must be delivered to the CARO by hand. You can make an appointment with the CARO office to informally check your nomination papers prior to their formal submission. These informal checks will take place during the nomination period. Please arrange an appointment using the contact details listed below. 

Candidates must submit the following to the CARO: 

• A completed nomination form, which includes 100 subscribers on the electoral register in Greater Manchester (10 from each of the Greater Manchester districts of Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan). Electoral registers published on 1 March 2024 must be used for nominations. 
• The nomination form, the home address form and your consent to nomination.  
• A certificate from the registered political party’s Nominating Officer (party candidates only).  
• A signed request to use a registered political party’s emblem on the ballot paper if the candidate wishes to use an emblem (party candidates only).  
• A deposit of £5,000. Further details regarding deposits will be supplied by the CARO. Your deposit will be returned if you poll more than 5% of the total number of valid votes cast in the Combined 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. 

Candidate Address 

Once validly nominated, a candidate is entitled to include an election address in a booklet produced by the CARO, which is sent to all registered electors in the Combined Authority area.  

If you want your election address to be included in the booklet, you will have to pay a contribution of £5,000 towards the production costs. This contribution is non-returnable. The deadline for inclusion of your election address in the booklet (subject to complying with legal and CARO requirements) and payment of the £5,000 contribution is 4pm on Friday 5 April 2024. This is the same as the nomination deadline. 

This Election Booklet is sent out to all electors by the CARO, after the close of nominations and before polling day.  

Briefings 

The Office for the CARO hosted a briefing session on 28 February 2024 to prospective candidates and agents which provided key information regarding the nominations process, the candidate booklet, and other electoral processes relevant to them.

Please contact GMMayoralElections@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk to request the information and materials shared at the briefing.

Timetable 

Statutory notices will be published on this page according to the below timetable. 

Further Information and Resources 

The Electoral Commission produces comprehensive guidance on Combined Authority Mayoral Elections for Candidates and Agents. Please follow the links below for: 

• Guidance for Candidates and Agents in Combined Authority Mayoral Elections (external webpage)
  
• Nomination Papers for Greater Manchester Combined Authority Mayoral Elections (external webpage)

Contact 

You can contact the Office for the CARO via: 

• Email:  GMMayoralElections@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
  
• Phone: 0161 778 7000