Open petition: Increase the Parliamentary Candidate Deposit to Reduce Ballot Paper Length

Created by Mason Scott Beirne
Closes on 7 March 2027

The Government should set up a review with a view to increasing the candidate deposit to reflect modern values and inflation. A higher deposit would continue to allow genuine candidates to stand while discouraging frivolous or publicity-driven candidacies that unnecessarily complicate elections.

The current £500 deposit required to stand for election to the House of Commons has remained unchanged since 1985. In real terms, inflation has significantly reduced its value. At recent General Elections, many constituencies have seen unprecedented numbers of candidates. This has resulted in excessively long ballot papers that are more expensive to print, more difficult for voters to navigate, and which can place additional administrative burdens on Returning Officers and polling staff.

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