How to become a Councillor
Elections for all 58 seats on the Council are held every four years and the next Borough-wide elections for the 22 new wards will take place on Thursday 7 May 2026.
Sometimes an individual seat in a ward becomes vacant in the intervening years and details are publicised as they occur.
The majority of candidates for these elections stand as representatives of political parties. However, anyone is entitled to stand as a candidate provided they meet the following principal qualifications.
Qualifications
You must be at least 18 years old on both polling day and the day of nomination and you must be a British citizen, a citizen of the Irish Republic, the Commonwealth or another member state of the European Union.
You must also meet at least one of the following four qualifications:
(a) Be a registered elector for the area of the Borough of Wandsworth at nomination and on polling day; or
(b) For the whole of the previous 12 months have:
- Lived in that area, or
- Occupied, as owner or tenant, any land or premises in that area, or
(c) For that 12 months, have had your principal or only place of work in that area.
Disqualifications
These could prevent you becoming a candidate. The disqualifications include a person:
- Who works for Wandsworth Council,
- Who has been adjudged bankrupt, and
- Who has been sentenced to prison for three months or more in the previous five years
Certain exceptions may apply so you should check the position carefully before consenting to your nomination as candidate.
Find out more
More information about standing for election to the Council can be obtained from the Deputy Returning Officer, Andrew Smith:
Andrew Smith
Electoral Services
Wandsworth Town Hall
London
SW18 2PU
Email: electoral@wandsworth.gov.uk
If you are interested in standing in any elections to the Council, please let Andrew Smith know as soon as possible and he will send you details, the various forms and the detailed election timetable when they become available.
Further details (covering issues such as the role of your election agent, the legal requirements which your campaign material must comply with, your campaign spending limits, declaring your election expenses and donations) are available on The Electoral Commission's website.
Other elections held in Wandsworth
Other elections are held in Wandsworth to select people to serve as Members of Parliament, the Mayor of London, and members of the London Assembly. Each of these elections has specific legislation and regulations that govern them.
Wandsworth comprises three Parliamentary Constituencies, each returning an MP. The Acting Returning Officer for these elections is Mike Jackson.
The elections for Mayor of London and members of the London Assembly take place every four years. The Greater London Returning Officer co-ordinates these elections across London, whilst the elections in the Constituency comprising Wandsworth and neighbouring Merton are conducted by Mike Jackson as the Constituency Returning Officer for the two boroughs.