Police are investigating claims that a candidate’s leaflets broke election law.
Independent candidate Helen Dear, 56, said that any breach was inadvertent but Sussex Police said: “Inquiries are ongoing.”
Helen Dear is standing for a seat on Brighton and Hove City Council in South Portslade which is currently represented by two Labour councillors – Les Hamilton and Alan Robins.
She appears to have fallen foul of a law requiring election material to include details of who is promoting a candidate.
In the six weeks before an election, campaign material must include the name and address of the person promoting a candidate or their address if they are promoting themselves.
But Ms Dear’s leaflets had no “imprint” in breach of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.
She said: “I have only just registered my polling agent and count agent. The leaflets were printed before this and I wasn’t aware that the agent’s name needed to be on the leaflet.”
When alerted, she immediately contacted the council’s head of electoral services, Michael Appleford, for advice.
But the police are responsible for investigating potential offences under electoral law and were already looking into the issue.
The force said: “Sussex Police have been made aware of election campaign material being circulated in the Brighton area which is reported to be in breach of electoral standards. Inquiries are ongoing.”
Labour said that it was aware of the issue but had not formally pursued the matter.
The party said: “The police have far more important calls on their time than to pursue what seems to be a minor infringement of electoral arrangements.
“Should other candidates believe this to be a serious infringement requiring investigation by the police then that is a decision for them to make.
“Labour’s Portslade team will remain focused on its engagement with the residents of Portslade on the issues that are of real importance to them.”
Polling day is on Thursday (4 May). Photo ID is required for those voting in person.
“She said: “I have only just registered my polling agent and count agent. The leaflets were printed before this and I wasn’t aware that the agent’s name needed to be on the leaflet.”
Neither of those people are your Election Agent whose name it is should appear on your leaflets.
In fact she is her own Agent.
https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/voting-and-elections/notice-election-agents-names-and-offices-brighton-hove-election-city-councillors-thursday-4-may-2023#tab–south-portslade
The printer may also be in trouble as their name and address needs to be on leaflets as well and it looks like only the printers name appears.
That’s interesting, ChrisC. Thanks. If the address she has given as that of herself as election agent is correct, she’s a resident of Adur.
It’s pretty minor in the grand scheme of things really. Common sense really should apply here.