Latest changes – key roles and planning

The amendments made on the 28/06/24 included an addition of a paragraph (second) under the heading 'Candidates and campaigners'. 

Very minimal grammatical changes were recommended but were not made at this time due to urgency of the update. These have now been changed:

• s.30 was changed to section 30
• note: schedule 9 - the 'note:' prefix was removed
• being elected - changed to 'being elected to office', Oxford comma removed.

Under the section titled Candidates and Campaigners section, the following paragraph was added in 'Forces should also note that s30 Elections Act 2022 introduces ‘disqualification orders’. These may apply against any individual who is convicted of an intimidatory criminal offence motivated by hostility towards a candidate, future candidate or campaigner or holder of a relevant elective office (note: schedule 9 of the Elections Act 2022 presents specific relevant offences). A disqualification order is imposed by the courts and prevents the convicted individual from standing for election, being elected to, or holding a relevant elective office for a period of five years. Investigators should, therefore, consider motivation when investigating any offences listed in schedule 9 against candidates and campaigners'. 

Also in the first paragraph under Candidates and Campaigners, the third sentence was replaced with 'Products, including Welsh language versions, are also available from the electoral Commission', and the fourth sentence was deleted.

Under the section heading Impartiality, the NPCC (2019) document link for Pre-election guidance in the last paragraph has been replaced with 2024 version. Also, changed the title of the document to match the document itself (previously summarised) - Guidance for Interaction with Candidates and Conduct during Pre-election Period.

12.4.24 - the opening sentence in the candidates and campaigners - harassment, intimidation and threatening behaviour section has been amended:

Products for candidates and campaigners have been , including those developed in response to The Committee on Standards in Public Life’s report ‘Intimidation in Public Life’, are available from the gov.uk website. including Joint Guidance for Candidates in Elections.

Removed incorrect links to contact details for the electoral commission.

Operation Bridger single point of contact (SPOC) section added (after ‘Senior investigating officer’ and before ‘Electoral registration officer).

Add a new sentence under bullet point list for SPoCs.

Updated joint guidance - candidates and campaigners.

Error in the link for Key contacts fixed.

Updated key contacts added.

Minor amend to candidate and campaigners.

Updated key contacts.

Updated joint guidance - candidates and campaigners.

Amended pre-election period guidance.

New pre-election period guidance document added plus removal of reference to March 2015.

Link added to harassment guidance - When it goes too far.

Changes to key roles.

Additional links updated to direct reader to latest Key contacts.

Update to key contacts and link added to guidance around Anonymous Registration.

New terminology - Political Finance and Regulation Directorate.

Update to MoU.

Various updates.

Update of a link from 2013 Code of conduct for campaigners: postal voting, proxy voting and polling stations to 2015 version.

Update of a link from 2010 Pre Election Protocol to 2015 Pre Election Guidance.

Addition of links and minor changes.