1. What election is taking place?
2. How many Councillors are there for each island?
3. When will voters go to the polls?
4. I would like to stand as a candidate in this election. What should I do?
5. What happens if the number of candidates for an island is the same as the number of vacancies?
6. What happens if the number of candidates for an island is fewer than the number of vacancies?
7. Where can I find out who is standing in the election?
8. When will the results be declared?
9. Who is the Returning Officer?
1. What election is taking place?
A full council election is taking place for all 16 members of the Council of the Isles of Scilly.
2. How many Councillors are there for each island?
The Council of the Isles of Scilly consists of five parishes:
St Agnes: represented by one member
Bryher: represented by one member
St Martin's: represented by one member
St Mary's: represented by 12 members
Tresco: represented by one member
3. When will voters go to the polls?
For islands that are contested (i.e. where there are more candidates than there are vacancies to be filled), voting will take place on Thursday 1 May 2025 (polling hours: 7am-10pm).
4. I would like to stand as a candidate in this election. What should I do?
Nomination packs, including a briefing document, are available online and for collection from the Old Wesleyan Chapel from Wednesday 25 March 2025.
The deadline for delivery of nomination papers is 4pm on Wednesday 2 April 2025. This is a statutory deadline and cannot be extended for any reason.
The Elections Officer offers one-to-one support to all prospective candidates throughout the electoral process. You can contact the Elections Officer on 01720 424545 or at elections@scilly.gov.uk.
5. What happens if the number of candidates for an island is the same as the number of vacancies?
The candidate on an off island, or the 12 candidates on St Mary's, would be elected without a contest. No poll would take place on that island on 1 May 2025.
6. What happens if the number of candidates for an island is fewer than the number of vacancies?
If no candidate stood for an off island, it would be necessary to re-run the election for that island at a later date to fill the vacancy. No poll would take place on that off island on 1 May 2025.
If fewer than 12 candidates stood for St Mary's, the candidates who had been nominated would be elected without a contest and it would be necessary to run another election for St Mary's at a later date to fill the remaining vacancy or vacancies. No poll would take place on St Mary's on 1 May 2025.
7. Where can I find out who is standing in the election?
The Statement of Persons Nominated will be published here no later than 4pm on Thursday 3 April 2025.
8. When will the results be declared?
For islands that are contested, the count will take place on Friday 2 May 2025. We would hope to have all results by lunchtime.
For islands that are uncontested, the results will be declared when the Statement of Persons Nominated is issued (i.e. no later than 4pm on Thursday 3 April 2025).
9. Who is the Returning Officer?
The Returning Officer is Russell Ashman, Chief Executive of the Council of the Isles of Scilly.