Overview
This information is for:
- prospective candidates (a person who wants to stand for election)
- election agents (a person responsible for the proper management of the candidate's election campaign)
Within this guide an elector is a person who has a right to vote in elections in North Tyneside. Throughout the guidance "you" refers to the candidate.
The next scheduled Local Government Elections will be held on 7 May 2026 when one seat per Ward will contested.
The Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer
The Returning Officer (RO) is the person responsible for running the elections.
The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) is responsible for maintaining the register of electors and absent voters' lists.
Jacqueline Laughton, Chief Executive of the Council, is the Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer.
The Elections Team support the Returning Officer/Electoral Registration Officer and carry out the day-to-day tasks.
Councillors and ward members
Councillors, or ward members, represent the people living in the ward they are elected in.
There are 20 wards in North Tyneside. Each ward has 3 councillors who each serve a 4 year term.
Usually, one third of Council seats are elected each year - one in each ward. There are no local elections in the 4th year.