Becoming a candidate in district elections
You must be nominated to stand as a candidate.
Further information about becoming a candidate at the elections is available from:
Electoral Commission: Guidance for candidates and agents at local elections in England
Qualifications for standing as a candidate
- a person must not be disqualified from holding office
- must be a British or Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or the European Union
- be 18 years of age
You must also meet one of the following criteria:
- be a registered local government elector within the area
- occupied land or property in the area for the last 12 months
- worked in the area for the last 12 months
- resided in the area for the whole of the last 12 months
Disqualifications to stand as a candidate
Apart from meeting the qualifications to stand as a candidate you must also not be disqualified.
The full range of disqualifications is complex and if you are in any doubt about whether you are disqualified you must do everything you can to check you are not disqualified before submitting a nomination paper.
The Returning Officer will not be able to confirm whether you are disqualified. You must seek your own legal advice prior to submitting your nomination paper.
You can view the full list of disqualifications at: Electoral Commission: Disqualifications
What is in a candidate nomination pack
Nomination packs will be available for collection from 9 February 2026 onwards at:
- Address Electoral Services, 3-5 Albion Street, Huddersfield, HD1 2NG
The pack includes:
- your nomination papers
- information about the election, including deadlines, nomination submission rules and a timetable of key events.
Your nomination papers
Candidates should read the accompanying notes in the candidate's pack carefully before completion of the forms to avoid unnecessary delays.
The nomination form is a legal document and information entered can be challenged in a court of law.
Submit your nomination papers
All nomination papers must be delivered in person to:
- Address Electoral Services, 3-5 Albion Street, Huddersfield, HD1 2NG
Nomination papers must be hand-delivered to the Returning Officer or a Deputy Returning Officer during the statutory timeframe to do so.
The statutory timetable for the elections due to be held on 7 May 2026 will be published in January.
You can contact the electoral services team by email to request more information:
What a councillor does
The aim of a local councillor is to make their local area a better place to live and work.
The role of a councillor is valuable to local communities and has a broad range of responsibilities. A large part of a councillor role is the work they do at neighbourhood level, bringing together individuals and agencies in their ward, from the public, private and voluntary community sectors.
They act as community leaders to encourage participation in local life. A ward councillor can gather people's views and represent them at council meetings. This is a way of ensuring that service providers are accountable to service users, deliver quality and value for money.
More about being a councillor:
Attend a briefing session
A pre-election briefing will be taking place on Wednesday 21 January 2026 from 6pm. To book a place at the briefing, please contact the team on:
- Phone 01484 221650 - Monday to Friday between 8:30am and 4:45pm
The briefing will cover:
- Guidance on completing the nomination paperwork
- The elections timetable and key dates
- Local arrangements for elections in Kirklees
- Campaign rules and guidance
- Good practice - candidate safety and information
- Information on Councillor inductions and key information from the Councillor Support Team.