| Introduction | Candidates | Question Time events | What would you ask the candidates who want to be mayor? | Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) pledges for the Bristol Mayor | About the election | Useful links |

Introduction
The first ever election for a directly elected Mayor of Bristol takes place on Thursday 15 November 2012.

Candidates

Fifteen candidates formally submitted nomination papers to stand in the election for the first ever directly elected Mayor of Bristol taking place on Thursday 15 November (the deadline for formal nominations close on 19 October). The list of declared candidates for the mayoral election is:

  • Tom Baldwin - Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
  • Tony Britt - Independent
  • Tim Collins - Save Filton Runway
  • Dave Dobbs - The Birthday Party
  • George Ferguson - Bristol 1st
  • Stoney Garnet - Independent
  • Owain George - Independent
  • Rich Fisher - Independent
  • Geoff Gollop - Conservative
  • Neil Maggs - Respect Party
  • Spud Murphy - Independent
  • Philip Pover - Independent
  • Daniella Radice - Green
  • Marvin Rees - Labour
  • Jon Rogers - Liberal Democrat

The following declared candidates withdrew from the election.

  • Eric Mutch - Mr Corrupt Self Serving Lying Thieving B’stard
  • Craig Clarke - State Education Party
  • Andy Thorne - Independent

Question Time events
Bristol Mayor Question Time

Voscur are working with a number of partners to organise Question Time events with the Bristol mayoral election candidates.

Mayoral Question Time at the South Bristol Skills Academy, Hengrove.
Date: Tuesday 16 October, 6.30 - 8.30pm
Venue: South Bristol Skills Academy, The Boulevard, Hengrove Park, Bristol.
Organised in partnership by Voscur, Hartcliffe and Withywood Community Partnership, Knowle West Media Centre with support from the City of Bristol College.
Click here to read the blog from this event

Mayoral Question Time at the Greenway Centre, Southmead.
Date: Monday 22 October, 6.30 - 8.30pm
Venue: The Greenway Centre, Doncaster Road, Southmead.
Organised in partnership by Voscur and Southmead Development Trust.
Listen to the Question Time event from The Greenway Centre live on Southsound FM Community Radio or click here to read the blog from this event

Mayoral Question Time at the University of Bristol, Clifton.
Date: Friday 2 November, 6 - 8pm
Venue: The Great Hall, Bristol University, Clifton.
Organised in partnership by University of Bristol Students Union, the University of Bristol and Voscur. This event is primarily for students but is also open to the wider community.
Click here for more details

Mayoral Question Time Trinity Centre, Lawrence Hill.
Date: Thursday 8 November, 6.30 - 8.30pm
Venue: The Trinity Centre, Lawrence Hill
Organised in partnership by Voscur, St Pauls Unlimited and Easton and Lawrence Hill Neighbourhood Management. This event is primarily for residents and community groups in Ashley, Easton and Lawrence Hill wards.
Click here for more details

What would you ask the candidates who want to be mayor?

We'd like to hear the questions you would like the candidates for the mayoral election to answer at the Question Time events taking place during October and November 2012. Submit your question online and a range of questions will be chosen to be asked of all the candidates, yours might be one of them.

Click here to submit your question

Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) pledges for the Bristol Mayor

The fifteen candidates standing to become the first directly elected mayor have been invited to give their support to the sector by signing up to six pledges that they would undertake if elected. 

  • Pledge 1: I will recognise and champion the contribution to Bristol of the voluntary sector, including its role in supporting and helping to empower equalities groups and disadvantaged communities.
  • Pledge 2: I will establish regular communication with the voluntary sector, meeting with and listening to voluntary sector representatives.
  • Pledge 3: I will support the Bristol Compact and ensure that my policies are implemented in line with the Compact.
  • Pledge 4: I will support the voluntary sector and ensure fair opportunities for small and large organisations in influencing service design, commissioning and procurement and service delivery.
  • Pledge 5: I will work in partnership with the voluntary sector, public and private sectors to tackle poverty, disadvantage and unemployment in Bristol, and set out my plans on how these will be addressed.
  • Pledge 6: I will work with the voluntary sector to support and engage young people to ensure their voice is heard and they are directly involved in decision making on issues that affect them, for example by introducing a Young Mayor of Bristol.

The pledges have been developed with voluntary and community sector groups and organisations following the 'yes' result in the referendum held in May 2012.

Click here to see mayor candidates responses to the VCS pledges

Voluntary and community sector organisations are invited to add their support for the Mayor pledges here

About the election

  • Approximately 320,000 people within the Bristol will be eligible to vote.
  • Polling cards will be posted out from mid October but you do not need to take the polling card with you to vote. Providing you are on the electoral register you can just go to your polling station (this will be printed on your polling card).
  • You must be on the electoral register to vote in the elections on 15 November. If you are not yet registered make sure you are register by Monday 8 October. To register call Bristol City Council Electoral Services on (0117) 922 3400.
  • Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm.
  • The vote will use a supplementary voting system – there will be two columns and voters will be able to cast a first and second choice vote. If no candidate wins 50% of the first choice votes then the top two candidates go through to a second round and the other candidates second choice votes are redistributed. The process continues until a candidates passes the 50% + 1 threshold to secure a plurality of votes.
  • Whoever is elected as Mayor of Bristol will serve until the next mayoral election takes place in May 2016. 

Click here to download guide to the Bristol Mayor and Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner election produced by Bristol City Council.

    Useful links

    Bristol City Council Mayor election webpage
    Bristol City Council electoral services webpage
    Bristol Manifesto
    Electoral Commission website
    Fawcett Society Counting Women In
    Mayor 4 Bristol
    Operation Black Vote
    Bristol City Council Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) webpage
    Safer Future Communities VCS PCC Network webpage