To help make your campaigning as easy as possible, we’ve gathered together some of the essential campaign tools, paperwork and information that you’ll need as the campaign goes on. Do let us know if there is anything else that you need and we will add it in.

Campaign artwork tools

Liberal Democrat fonts: Helvetica Neue & Andrew Garratt only (zip file)
Liberal Democrat fonts: other useful fonts (zip file)

Liberal Democrat logos (zip file)
Liberal Democrat General Election Campaign Logo
Liberal Democrat clipart
Liberal Democrat colours

Buy PagePlus software

More campaign resources also available on the Liberal Democrat Members’ Site

Campaign template artwork

A4 Focus templates
A3 Focus templates

Canvass leaflets
Posters

Good morning & eve of poll leaflets

Essential paperwork

Delegated Nominating Officer (DNO) form (PDF)
Election expense forms – General Election long campaign (MS Excel)
Election expense forms – General Election short campaign (MS Excel)
Election expense forms - Council Elections (MS Excel)

Postal Vote Application Form (PDF)

Nomination papers will be available from your local council for both the Local and General Elections.

Official guidance

Electoral Commission guide to the 2010 Council Elections (PDF)
Electoral Commission guide to the 2010 General Election (PDF)

Postal vote code of conduct (PDF)
Draft guidance to police on interaction with political parties during campaigns (zip file)

Liberal Democrat Guidance

Campaign Planning Guide
ALDC Council Candidate’s Handbook (PDF)

Guidance on election imprints
Election expense limits
Guidance on appointing a General Election agent and on expenses (zip file)

Liberal Democrat candidates are being sent a free "Candidates Handbook" from ALDC, with details of the election campaign, how to survive, and essential contact and election law advice. This is a new publication from ALDC and aims to ensure all our candidates have the essential information for the election at their fingertips. 

The Handbook was sent out by post in the last two week - so if you or your candidates didn't receive, then it's because ALDC hasn't been given details of your candidates!

We'll be sending out the Handbook to every candidate we're notified of before the deadline for nominations - WHILE STOCKS LAST. 

Election Briefing emails are also being sent to all candidates - from now on every 10 days - so it's vital that we have email addresses for candidates. 

Please help us by letting us know who your candidates are. Do it online here, or if its easier just send an email or attachment to david.ball@aldc.org with your candidates. 

Don't worry that someone else has sent these in already - it's better to receive the information twice than not at all.

Don't forget to cc:aldc your best campaign literature - just think much easier it would be if we didn't have to re-invent the wheel every time!

Copy us in when you're sending a PagePlus or PDF file - cc@aldc.org.

Thanks for your assistance!

2009 has been the best year for Lib Dem success against the Tories in local government by-elections in this parliament.

There is an old Lib Dem adage  “Where we work we win” and this seems to be the initial conclusion of ALDC’s analysis of the 2009 principal local by-elections.  With 17 net gains we have had our best year since we made 17 gains in 2006.

The difference in 2009 was that we made 11 net gains off the Tories, helping them to 25 net losses for the year. In 2006 we had net losses of 3 to the Tories but offset this by making 16 net gains off “others” – largely rural independents. In 2009 there were fewer Independents defending; 23 rather than 46 in 2006. In addition the Independents improved their defence rate from a mere 20% in 2006 to around 50% in 2009.

Whilst we have not yet done a full and more detailed analysis of the results (see January’s Campaigner for this) we believe a number of factors to be at play in these results. The theory that “anti-politics” mood would herald success for Independents and smaller parties has not been borne out in real elections. Party organisation really does matter. Without making predictions about the general election the clear message is that doing it by the book works.

Any ALDC member can subscribe to our free By-Elections email - the first, and most comprehensive local by-election report every Friday lunchtime. When you're logged on to the ALDC website manage your account here. 

Today is six months to the most likely polling day for a UK General Election, and for crucial local elections in London and much of England. 

We do not need to tell you that these are vital elections for both the Liberal Democrats and the people that we represent and campaign for. 

Support for our General Election work will obviously be coming from the Party at many levels. In addition to helping with the General Election effort, ALDC will be ensuring that there is help and support in place to ensure we succeed in the local elections as well. 

Training - our busy programme of training for the elections is nearing its conclusion this year with Regional Conferences, and the (fully booked) Kickstart Residential Weekend. 

Candidate Support Programme - For the first time we'll be sending out a Liberal Democrat "Candidates Handbook" at the start of January free for all Lib Dem candidates in the local electons. It will contain all the essential advice that candidates need about elections, staying on the right side of the law, campaign planning, and crucially where to go for more help. This is being accompanied by monthly Election Briefing emails

But we can only send the information if we have the candidates. Register your candidates this weekend online here. 

Advice and Support - We are here to provide advice and support for all Liberal Democrats on anything to do with elections - election law, campaign techniques, procedures - or anything to do with being a councillor. Ask for advice online (we have a same day/next morning policy for all advice requests) or phone us 9.15-5.15 during the week on 01422 843 785. ALDC members of course have an enhanced advice service with access to online resources and information. 

Templates and Campaign Ideas - as the election gets nearer we will be continuing to provide ALDC members with weekly campaign ideas, templates, council motions and best practice artwork - if you're not a member you should be!