Running for Office

Nomination Form

WHEN ARE ELECTIONS…

Ordinary Municipal Elections – are held every three years for the election of the Mayor, 3 Aldermen and 5 Common Councillors.

Extraordinary Municipal Elections are held when a vacancy occurs in the office of Mayor, Alderman or Common Councillor to fill the specific vacancy.

HOW WILL I KNOW THERE’S GOING TO BE AN ELECTION…

• Notice of an election must be published by the Returning Officer in two issues of the Official Gazette and at least one newspaper printed and circulating in Bermuda at least 10 days prior to Nomination Day
• The notice must state the date, place and time where nomination papers are to be delivered; where nomination papers may be obtained; and the date, place and time of the poll in the event of a contest.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE

To be eligible to run in an election for the office of Mayor, Alderman or Common Councillor, candidates must be registered as a municipal elector for the Corporation or be the nominee of such an elector.

Nomination of Candidates:

• Nomination papers are available here
• The nomination paper must be signed by two municipal electors or nominees on the Municipal Register, one as a proposer and one as a seconder , neither of whom has proposed or seconded the nomination of another candidate
• The nomination paper must be delivered to the Returning Officer by the candidate, or by his proposer or seconder between the hours of 11 am and 1.00 pm on Nomination Day at City Hall
• The nomination paper must be accompanied by a deposit of two hundred and fifty dollars

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT…

• If the number of duly nominated candidate(s) doesn’t exceed the vacancy to be filled, the Returning Officer will declare the candidate or candidates concerned to be elected and an official notice will be published confirming the election of the candidate(s)
• If the number of duly nominated candidate(s) exceeds the vacancy or vacancies to be filled, then a poll shall be taken on the date stated in the Notice of Election

ELECTION DAY…

• Elections are held at City Hall, normally 7 days after Nomination Day
• Polling takes place from 11 am to 8.00 pm
• Sections 41-55 inclusive of the Parliamentary Election Act 1963 (repealed) and the Second Schedule to that Act apply to the taking of a poll for the purposes of the Municipalities Act 1923.
• After the completion of the poll and the counting of the ballots, the Returning Officer will confirm which candidate(s) have been elected