Category: How To Get Elected: 1. Before you decide to run

Age & Eligibility to become a Candidate

The basic formal requirements to become an official candidate and run for a local councils are as follows.   To be eligible, you must be:   • A British or a citizen of the Commonwealth or European Union • At least 18 years old • Registered to vote in the area or have lived, worked … Continue reading Age & Eligibility to become a Candidate →

How much work will it take to get Elected?

Very few candidates find elections easy. Being a candidate is usually a lot of work – if you are taking the prospect of being elected seriously. The hard work often begins long before the election itself is called. Some elections are not contested. When this happens, and you are the only candidate, or there are … Continue reading How much work will it take to get Elected? →

Where is it easiest to get Elected?

If you are asking yourself where it is easiest to get elected, you may be thinking about politics for the wrong reasons. Being entrusted with a publicly elected office is a great responsibility. One which everyone standing for election should take very seriously. If taking the time and making the effort to secure enough votes … Continue reading Where is it easiest to get Elected? →

Which Local Authority should I run for?

If you’ve decided that you want to be a Councillor, but are not sure of where you could achieve most, help others in the way you would like, or potentially achieve the biggest impact, it would be worth considering the roles and responsibilities of the different Tiers of Government, and what work Parish & Town … Continue reading Which Local Authority should I run for? →

Running as an Independent or ‘open’ Candidate

How to get Elected was created with people in mind who want to run as Independent or what we should perhaps start calling ‘Open’ Candidates.   Some people will make a very clear argument of the benefits of joining a political party before becoming a candidate. Being ‘independent’ and appearing to be alone can immediately … Continue reading Running as an Independent or ‘open’ Candidate →

Seek the unbiased opinion of others on whether you should run

OK, so this sounds like stating the obvious. But is it really? To be elected successfully, your preparation begins the moment you start thinking about what you have to do – and what you are going to do once you are elected, if and when you get there.   In the first instance, you need … Continue reading Seek the unbiased opinion of others on whether you should run →

Being a Councillor can be very frustrating

As you go up the Tiers of Government, the more that politics and a war of ideas will become apparent with almost everything you will do. As Seats become part of much bigger authority areas, your vote can also feel very insignificant too and especially so if you are fighting against policy which is being … Continue reading Being a Councillor can be very frustrating →

The downside of having a public profile

When we are young, it is not uncommon to imagine what it would be like to be famous, and to be recognised wherever we go.   Some of us make it a life aim. Some find it arrives as a consequence of the job or jobs that we choose to do.    What we don’t … Continue reading The downside of having a public profile →

It’s not about ‘You’

Many of the key failures of politics today can be attributed to the egos of politicians. If you’ve already talked to other people about the perception of those in political office, it’s almost certain that you will have heard someone say that having a big ego is part of what being a politician is about. … Continue reading It’s not about ‘You’ →