I've broken this out as a separate thread as it merits one of its own.
Are there any rules regarding where a candidate must live? Must they live in the borough?
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It's a good question Admin.
There is guidance from the Electoral Commission. I have read it but not studied it. I am willing to be corrected but I think that the answer is, that although borough residency
can be a candidate's route to qualification, it is not a prerequisite and basically you can live anywhere in England and Wales and stand for election in Marple, or anywhere else.
What all candidates
must have is the written endorsement of 10 people who are bona-fide voters in the ward that they are standing in.
One may ponder as to the reason one would wish to stand in a ward where you don't live.
It is a party problem. caused by the parties themselves and it is widespread and on a national basis. However, to confine it to Stockport. The main parties, I.E Cons, Labs & Lib Dems decree that they will field a candidate in every ward. There are some wards, where they don't have a snowball/hell chance or they don't have a residential candidate so they field a
paper candidate . This candidate does not expect to get in and has no connection to the area whatsoever. It is easy to obtain the ten nominations through party membership. Unfortunately a large chunk of the electorate votes for Party not Candidate and in fairness to them, they often don't have any choice other than to do this at the ballot box.
This problem will never be resolved until there are truly independent councillors elected.
Marple North this year, is the only ward in the whole of Stockport wherein the electorate has an opportunity to return a truly
Independent candidate. A candidate who lives and has a business in Marple North a business which employs local people.
It is my view that all candidates should have a connection to the ward that they are standing in and they should be able to substantiate it.
