Information for candidates and agents - Mid Suffolk District Council

The Government has recently published the The Local Authorities (Changes to Years of Ordinary Elections) (England) Order 2025 to postpone the Suffolk County Council elections until 2026. For further information please contact Suffolk County Council.

Prospective candidates and agents are encouraged to register their contact details with the Returning Officer (RO). This will enable the RO to keep candidates and agents updated prior to the formal election timetable.

Candidates and agents are invited to use our dedicated email address for electoral correspondences. We offer an informal checking service during the nomination period, and ask that you book a date and time with us so that you can formally hand in your nomination papers.

Please email candidates.agents@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

Further information on the nomination process, and accessing registers, can be found via this webpage - alongside any key dates.

Election timetable for candidates -

Event	Working days before poll. Deadline is midnight, unless stated otherwise	Haughley, Stowupland & Wetherden District By-election
Publication of notice of election	Not later than 22 days	Not later than 4pm on Wednesday 7 May
Delivery of nomination papers	From the date stated on the notice of election up to 4pm on the nineteenth working day before the election	From the date stated on the notice of election up to 4pm on Thursday 15 May
Deadline for withdrawals of nomination	19 days. Deadline is 4pm	By 4pm on Thursday 15 May
Making objections to nomination papers	On 19 days (10am to 5pm), subject to the following: Between 10am - 12pm, objections can be made to all delivered nominations Between 12pm - 5pm, objections can only be made to nominations delivered after 4pm the working day previous.	Between 10am - 12pm and 12pm - 5pm on Thursday 15 May
Deadline for the notification of appointment of election agent	19 days. Deadline is 4pm	By 4pm on Thursday 15 May
Publication of statement of persons nominated, including notice of poll and situation of polling stations	If no objections: On 19 days. Deadline is 5pm If objection(s) are made: Not before objection(s) are disposed of, but not later than 18 days. Deadline is 4pm	If no objections: By 5pm on Thursday 15 May If objection(s) are made: Not before objection(s) are disposed of, but not later than 4pm on Friday 16 May
Deadline for notification of appointment of polling and counting agents	5 days	Thursday 5 June
Polling day	0 (7am to 10pm)	7am to 10pm on Thursday 12 June 2025
Delivery of return as to election expenses	Not later than 35 calendar days after the date the election result is declared	Thursday 17 July 2025

Key dates and deadlines for electors -

Action	Haughley, Stowupland & Wetherden District By-election
Deadline (by 11:59pm) to register to vote (if you're not already registered)	Tuesday 27 May
Deadline (by 5pm) for new applications to vote by post, or by postal proxy (proxies must first be appointed as a proxy then apply to vote by post).	Wednesday 28 May
Deadline (by 5pm) to make changes to, or to cancel existing postal vote arrangements.	Wednesday 28 May
Postal votes issued. All Postal Vote applications received and determined by 5pm on the postal voting deadline date will be included in this issue.	From Monday 2 June
Deadline (by 5pm) to apply to vote by appointing a proxy.	Wednesday 4 June
Deadline (by 5pm) to Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. You need to apply if you vote at a polling station and do not have one of the accepted forms of photo ID	Wednesday 4 June
First day issuing replacement lost and spoilt postal votes	Friday 6 June
Polling day. Polling stations open from 7am to 10pm	Thursday 12 June
Last chance to replace lost or spoilt postal votes. Deadline is 5pm	Thursday 12 June
Last chance to apply for an emergency proxy vote. Deadline is 5pm	Thursday 12 June

Request a register or absent voters list -

Once you officially become a candidate, you are entitled to receive a free copy of the full electoral registers. You are also entitled to the lists of people voting by post or proxy (the lists of 'absent voters’), for the electoral area that you are contesting.

The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote in public elections. The register is used for electoral purposes, such as making sure only eligible people can vote. It is also used for other limited purposes specified in law, such as detecting crime (e.g. fraud), calling people for jury service, checking credit applications.

Apply

The request must be made in writing and the forms can be accessed below:

You will then need to send your completed form(s) via email to candidates.agents@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

The register and lists will will be supplied in electronic format, unless a paper copy is specifically requested.

The version of the electoral register and lists supplied will be the ones current at the time of application. You may also request the updates to the electoral registers and lists that are published in the lead-up to the poll, including the list of newly registered electors when it is published five working days before the poll.

Any person found breaching the restrictions on use of the electoral register could face an unlimited fine. For more information see the Electoral Commission's guidance on restrictions on the use of the electoral register in England and Wales.

Nomination papers -

Download a nomination pack

A certificate of authorisation must be submitted along with each party candidate nomination pack.

Candidates and agents can download the nomination papers for their respective area via the buttons below:

Haughley, Stowupland & Wetherden District By-election

Haughley, Stowupland & Wetherden nomination papers

Informal checks

During the nomination period, candidates and agents are invited to send their nomination via email beforehand to candidates.agents@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk, for informal checking. Any errors or missing sections can therefore be advised upon and revised before formal arrival.

Note: For party candidates, the party description must match the description authorised by the party nominating officer.

Formal checks

By law, nomination papers must be handed in physically to electoral services, by the candidate, agent, or representative. Our office is located at Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich, IP1 2BX.

To avoid waiting times, we ask that candidates and agents make an appointment to hand in their nomination papers. Appointments can be arranged by our dedicated email address: candidates.agents@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

Other nomination packs

Generic Parish or Town nomination papers

Parish or Town nomination papers

Postal vote opening sessions -

Sessions confirmed:

Haughley, Stowupland & Wetherden District By-Election

Date and Time	Location
Wednesday 11 June from 1pm to 4pm	Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich, IP1 2BX
Thursday 12 June from 12pm	Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich, IP1 2BX

The Deputy/Returning Officer will give a minimum of 48 hours' notice of any additional opening sessions. Candidates are entitled to appoint one agent to attend the proceedings. The name and address of the appointed agent must be given in writing to the Deputy/Returning Officer before the session begins.

Note: Sessions may be cancelled or shortened without prior notice depending on the number of postal votes received. Please call 0300 123 4000 (Option 7), or email candidates.agents@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk, to confirm whether a session will be running.

Candidates Expenses -

Please refer to the Electoral Commission site for resources and good practice. We recommend declarations to be accompanied by the XLS candidates spending returns.