7 May 2026 - Election of Councillors to Essex County Council

On Thursday 7 May 2026 there will be local elections across Tendring for the postponed Essex County Council elections from May 2025.Following a Local Government Boundary review, the eight County divisions have changed since voters last took to the polls in 2021.  Details of the changes can be found here:  New County Council Boundaries

• Essex County Council prospective candidate events will be held on Wednesday 25 Feb at 6.30pm online and Saturday 7 March 10am in person, these will focus on what it means to be an ECC councillor. Candidates who would like to register for these events can do so by completing this form: Registration for 2026 Essex County Council Prospective Candidate Events – Fill in form‍
• A briefing by the Deputy Returning Officer and his staff for Essex County Council Agents and Candidates will be held in the Committee Room at the Town Hall, Clacton-on-Sea, on Monday 2 March 2026 at 10.00am.  

Nominations

Nomination packs will follow on this page in due course. The electorate number to be used for expenses will need to be that of the register in operation at that time. The register containing the elector numbers for subscribers has now been published.

Candidates wishing to stand for election are required to submit nomination papers to the Deputy Returning Officer during the official nomination period before the election. The Notice of Election will be available on this page in due course.

Nomination papers will be available to download from this page. Paper forms will be available from our office, please email Electoral Services or call on 01255 686575 to request these.

The period for receipt of nominations will commence at8.45am on Monday 30 March 2026. All prospective candidates who want to stand for election must formally submit their nomination by 4pm on Thursday 9 April 2026.

Please note the nomination form and consent to nomination must be submitted by hand and cannot be submitted by post, fax, email or other electronic means. The Deputy Returning Officer strongly recommends that Candidates and Agents refer to the Electoral Commission’s guidance before completing the nomination paperwork.

We are offering an appointment system between 10am and 3pm,from Monday 30 March 2026 to Thursday 9 April 2026, when you can have an informal check prior to formal submission of your nomination papers. 

The key dates for these elections are:

Receipt of nominations opens: 8.45am on Monday 30 March 2026

Deadline for receipt of nominations: 4pm on Thursday 9 April 2026

Deadline to apply to register to vote: Monday 20 April 2026

Deadline to apply for a postal vote or make changes to an existing postal or proxy vote: 5pm on Tuesday 21 April 2026

Initial dispatch of postal votes for those registered for a postal vote on 2 April 2026: Around 14 April 2026

Final dispatch of postal votes for those who registered for a postal vote between 2 April and 21 April 2026: Around 24 April

Deadline to apply for a proxy vote or Voter Authority Certificate: 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026

Polling Day: Between 7am and 10pm on Thursday 7 May 2026