Guidance

Election guidance for civil servants

Guidance on the conduct of civil servants in the pre-election period.

• From: Cabinet Office and Civil Service
• Published: 4 February 2011
• Last updated: 2 March 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 2 March 2026

     Guidance added for May 2026

  2. 20 March 2025

     Added the document: May 2025 Elections: guidance on conduct for civil servants

  3. 23 May 2024

     Added the document: General election guidance 2024: guidance for civil servants

  4. 21 March 2024

     Added the document: May 2024 Elections: guidance on conduct for civil servants

  5. 6 March 2023

     Guidance added for May 2023 local elections.

  6. 3 March 2022

     Added guidance for the May 2022 elections.

  7. 25 March 2021

     Upload of May 2021 HTML version

  8. 18 March 2021

     Upload of May 2021 guidance.

  9. 26 November 2019

     Added HTML version of general election guidance 2019

  10. 4 November 2019

      2019 GE guidance added

  11. 1 May 2019

      Added 'May 2019 elections for the European Parliament: guidance on conduct'.

  12. 9 April 2019

      Added attachment: 'May 2019 elections: guidance on conduct'

  13. 11 April 2018

      Local election guidance added for civil servants.

  14. 20 April 2017

      General election guidance 2017 added

  15. 10 April 2017

      May 2017 local and mayoral elections guidance added.

  16. 26 January 2017

      Northern Ireland election 2017 guidance added.

  17. 24 March 2016

      Added May 2016 elections guidance

  18. 30 March 2015

      General election 2015: guidance for civil servants published

  19. 22 August 2014

      Removed out-of-date Scotland referendum guidance.

  20. 15 August 2014

      Published Scottish referendum guidance for UK civil servants that takes effect from 22 August 2014.

  21. 24 July 2014

      Scottish referendum guidance updated.

  22. 9 April 2014

      May 2014 European Parliament and local authority elections guidance added.

  23. 4 February 2011

      First published.

Documents

May 2026 Elections: guidance on conduct for civil servants (HTML)

HTML

May 2026 Elections: guidance on conduct for civil servants (PDF)

PDF, 211 KB, 15 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

May 2025 Elections: guidance on conduct for civil servants (PDF)

PDF, 246 KB, 11 pages

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Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

May 2025 Elections: guidance on conduct for civil servants (HTML)

HTML

General election guidance 2024: guidance for civil servants (PDF)

PDF, 200 KB, 44 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

General election guidance 2024: guidance for civil servants (HTML)

HTML

May 2024 Elections: guidance on conduct for civil servants (PDF)

PDF, 124 KB, 16 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

May 2024 Elections: guidance on conduct for civil servants (HTML)

HTML

May 2023 Elections: guidance on conduct for civil servants

PDF, 179 KB, 19 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

May 2023 Elections: guidance on conduct for civil servants

HTML

May 2022 elections: guidance on conduct for civil servants (HTML)

HTML

May 2022 elections: guidance on conduct for civil servants (PDF)

PDF, 417 KB, 20 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

May 2021 Elections: guidance on conduct

PDF, 326 KB, 10 pages

May 2021 Elections: guidance on conduct

HTML

General election guidance 2019: guidance for civil servants

HTML

General election guidance 2019: guidance for civil servants

PDF, 245 KB, 41 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

May 2019 elections for the European Parliament: guidance on conduct

PDF, 124 KB, 6 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

May 2019 local elections: guidance on conduct

PDF, 148 KB, 10 pages

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May 2018 elections: guidance on conduct

PDF, 123 KB, 10 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

General election 2017: guidance for civil servants

PDF, 300 KB, 39 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

May 2017 elections: guidance on conduct

HTML

May 2017 elections: guidance on conduct

PDF, 122 KB, 10 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Northern Ireland election 2017: guidance on conduct

PDF, 117 KB, 7 pages

EU referendum: guidance for UK government departments on activities during the period 27 May to 23 June 2016

PDF, 320 KB, 7 pages

EU referendum: guidance for UK government departments on activities during the period to 26 May 2016

PDF, 216 KB, 5 pages

May 2016 elections: guidance on conduct

PDF, 198 KB, 10 pages

General election 2015: guidance for civil servants

PDF, 455 KB, 39 pages

Scottish referendum: guidance for UK government civil servants - in effect from 22 August 2014

PDF, 240 KB, 4 pages

European and local elections guidance: 2014

PDF, 197 KB, 10 pages

Local and mayoral elections guidance - 2013

PDF, 182 KB, 8 pages

Conduct in the period preceding elections to Police and Crime Commissioner roles - 2012

PDF, 188 KB, 11 pages

Local and mayoral elections and mayoral referenda - 2012

PDF, 119 KB, 6 pages

Elections in local authorities, devolved administrations and UK referendum on voting system - 2011

PDF, 114 KB, 10 pages

Referendum on extending the law making powers of National Assembly for Wales - 2011

PDF, 100 KB, 9 pages

Details

This guidance covers the conduct of civil servants in the run up to local, national, European elections. It also covers the referendum on the voting system for the UK Parliament, the Scottish referendum and the EU referendum.