Candidates and agents
Stand as a candidate
Nominations open on Thursday 22 October 2026 and close at 4pm on Friday 6 November 2026.
A guide for candidates and agents
A guide for candidates and election agents is available to download from the Electoral Commission’s website at Council elections in Scotland | Electoral Commission
Submit your nomination papers
To stand as a candidate in this by-election:
- download the nomination pack, available from Thursday 22 October 2026, or request nomination forms from the Elections Office. Nomination pack - Scottish Local Government Elections (DOCX) | Electoral Commission
- complete your nomination papers.
- contact the Elections Office to arrange an appointment to submit them.
- deliver the completed nomination papers by hand to the Returning Officer.
Get your papers checked
You can email scanned copies of your completed nomination papers to the Elections Office for an informal check before delivering the originals.
An informal check does not replace the requirement to deliver the completed nomination papers by hand.
Deliver your nomination papers
You must deliver the originals by hand to:
Returning Officer
Council Headquarters
English Street
Dumfries
DG1 2DD
Appointments are available between 10am and 4pm on working days, from Thursday 22 October 2026 until the nomination deadline.
The deadline for delivering nomination papers is 4pm on Friday 6 November 2026.
Candidate and election agent briefings
Briefing information and supporting documents for candidates and election agents will be published on this page when available.
Financial support for disabled candidates
The Access to Elected Office Fund Scotland can help disabled candidates with additional costs associated with standing for election.
The fund is administered by Inclusion Scotland.
Find out more on Inclusion Scotland’s Access to Elected Office Fund
Find out about becoming a councillor
The Improvement Service provides information about:
- the role of a councillor
- what councillors do
- what is expected of elected members
- experiences and advice from serving councillors across Scotland
Visit the Improvement Service prospective candidates website for more information.
Contact the Elections Office
Contact the Elections Office to:
- request nomination forms
- arrange an appointment
- submit papers for an informal check
- ask for help with the nomination process
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01387 260039