Standing as a candidate
Whole Council and Parish elections are taking place on Thursday 7 May 2026.
For more information on the election and the election timetable please visit Whole Council and Parish Elections 7 May 2026.
How do I become a councillor?
Whole Council Elections
Councillors represent the residents of St Helens. They are elected to become a member of the council when whole council elections are held. This means that on 7 May 2026 all 48 seats across the 18 wards become vacant and new councillors are elected for four years.
Councillors work for the whole community, but they have a responsibility to champion the needs of all the constituents in their ward. Councillors must follow a code of conduct to ensure high standards in the way they go about their duties.
The deadline to submit your nomination paper to stand at the Whole Council Elections on Thursday 7 May 2026 has now passed.
Parish Council Elections
There are 7 Parish Councils within the St Helens Borough, Billinge Chapel End, Bold, Eccleston, Rainford, Rainhill, Seneley Green and Windle. Please see the website of each parish council or contact the Parish clerk for details of local parish Councillors.
The deadline to submit your nomination paper to stand at the Parish Elections on Thursday 7 May 2026 has now passed.
How do I become an MP?
To be able to stand as a candidate at a UK Parliamentary General Election in Great Britain you must:
- be at least 18 years old
- be a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, a qualifying EU citizen or an EU citizen with retained rights
You need to be nominated to stand as a candidate at the elections by:
- 10 electors from the relevant Parliamentary Constituency
Further information can be found in the Candidates and Agents guidance on the electoral commission website.
Do I have to be a member of a political party?
No, you don't, you can stand as an independent candidate.
You can contact us using the details below if you would like more information about becoming a councillor.
For more information please visit -guidance/candidate-or-agent
| Telephone: | 01744 676464 (Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm) |
| Write to us: | St Helens Borough Council, Electoral Services, First Floor, Town Hall, Victoria Square, St Helens, WA10 1HP |
| Email: | elections@sthelens.gov.uk |
