The General Optical Council (Membership) Order of Council 2001

Part III— Nominations

8.—(1) A candidate for election as a person to represent registered ophthalmic opticians in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales shall be nominated in writing by not less than six registered ophthalmic opticians whose registered addresses are in the country for which the candidate is nominated in accordance with paragraph 11 of this scheme.

(2) A nomination shall be valid only if received by the nomination day and made in the form set out in Appendix B to this Scheme and signed by the person or persons nominating the candidate.

(3) The nominations may be comprised in more than one form but every form shall include a statement signed by the candidate identifying himself and confirming his willingness to stand as the candidate for the vacancy for which he has been nominated.

9.—(1) A candidate for election as a person to represent registered dispensing opticians shall be nominated in writing by not less than six registered dispensing opticians whose registered addresses are in the United Kingdom.

(2) A nomination shall be valid only if received by the nomination day and made in the form set out in Appendix C to this Scheme and signed by the person or persons nominating the candidate.

(3) The nominations may be comprised in more than one form but every form shall include a statement signed by the candidate identifying himself and confirming his willingness to stand as candidate for the vacancy for which he has been nominated.

10.—(1) The Returning Officer shall invite each candidate for nomination to supply by the nomination date—

(a) particulars of his qualifications and career and an election address in a statement of not more than 150 words in all; and

(b) a passport-size photograph of himself, preferably monochrome.

(2) Subject to the provisions of this paragraph such a statement and such a photograph shall be printed at the cost of the Council and sent along with the voting papers issued under paragraph 18 of this Scheme to all registered opticians eligible to vote for the candidate.

(3) Nothing in this paragraph shall require the Returning Officer to issue a statement of a length greater than specified in this paragraph or to issue anything which in his opinion is or may be libellous or scandalous or untrue on matters of fact.

(4) Every candidate who supplies such a statement shall be deemed to have agreed—

(a) that the decision of the Returning Officer not to issue the same or any part thereof shall be final; and

(b) to indemnify the Returning Officer and the Council against any liability to any third party which he or they may incur by reason of issuing the same.

11.—(1) Except in relation to an election held in pursuance of the provisions of paragraph 23 of this Scheme, a registered ophthalmic optician whose registered address is in England may nominate not more than three candidates whose registered addresses are situated, or if any is not a registered optician whose principal place of residence is situated, in England.

(2) A registered ophthalmic optician whose registered address is in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales may nominate for the country in which his registered address is situated not more than one candidate, whose registered address is situated, or if he is not a registered optician his principal place of residence is situated, in the country for which he is nominated.

(3) Except in relation to an election held in pursuance of the provisions of paragraph 23 of this Scheme, a registered dispensing optician may nominate not more than five candidates.

(4) If a registered ophthalmic optician attempts to nominate more candidates than he is entitled to do his signature, in the case of a nomination for England, shall be valid only on the first three forms in order received by the Returning Officer, or in the case of a nomination for Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, on the first form so received.

(5) If a registered dispensing optician purports to nominate more candidates than he is entitled to do, his signature shall be valid only on the first five forms in order received by the Returning Officer.

(6) When two or more forms are received simultaneously at the address specified by the Returning Officer under sub-paragraph (2) of paragraph 7 of this Scheme they shall be deemed for the purpose of the foregoing sub-paragraph to have been received by the Returning Officer in the order in which he in fact sees them.

12.—(1) A person may be nominated as a candidate for election as a person to represent registered opticians whether or not he is a registered optician.

(2) The Returning Officer may require such evidence as he considers necessary as to a candidate’s principal place of residence and a person shall not be accepted as a candidate if he fails to produce such evidence to the satisfaction of the Returning Officer.

13.  A candidate may withdraw his candidature by notice in writing signed by him and received by the Returning Officer by the nomination day, and in that event the nomination of that candidate shall be disregarded for the purposes of Parts IV to VIII of this Scheme.