One of the quirks of recent General Elections is that, for a lot of constituencies, the process of selecting a candidate has been somewhat truncated. But time is getting on, and the new boundaries are out, so it’s probably time to make a start…

If you haven’t got a candidate in place already, you probably aren’t a target seat, but you almost certainly have some goals that you wish to achieve, and the right PPC can help you to achieve them. So, your first step is to agree to start the process at a meeting of the Local Party’s Executive Committee. If the constituency covers more than one Local Party – for example, the new Waveney Valley constituency has three Local Parties covering parts of it – you’ll need to get the various Local Parties together to agree the way forward.

But let’s assume that agreement is reached. Have you taken sustained steps to increase the number of members from under-represented groups? Have you considered whether you want an all-disabled shortlist or to reserve a space on the shortlist for a candidate with a disability (provided that they meet the selection criteria)? You’ll need to be able to confirm that you’ve considered these before you can move on.

You’ll also need to forewarn a number of Party groups that you’re aiming to start the process:

• Liberal Democrat Campaign for Racial Equality
• Racial Diversity Committee
• Liberal Democrat Disability Association
• Campaign for Gender Balance
• LGBT+ Liberal Democrats
• Young Liberals
• Parliamentary Candidates Association
• Liberal Democrat Women

in order to encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to put themselves forward.

Once you’ve done this, you should contact your Regional Candidates Chair, who will find you a Returning Officer (subject to availability).

What’s your Returning Officer for? They’ll:

• Support the local party officers through the selection process
• Protect the interests of members
• Ensure the fair and equal treatment of applicants
• Ensure that the selection rules are followed

Once appointed, they’ll meet with you to agree a timetable and to assign responsibilities. What you don’t need is a shortlisting committee though. You’ll almost certainly be using the shortened Selection Rules, which leaves relatively little to be done. And that’s because the ballot and the hustings meeting are online. This will be easier if you can obtain e-mail addresses for as many of your members as possible, and seek their agreement to be contacted by e-mail, if only for the purposes of the selection.

Agree a timetable, the contents of the advertisement for inclusion on the Party website, arrangements for the preparation of the members’ mailing and the members’ meeting, and you’re set to go…

* Mark Valladares is currently the Returning Officer for Suffolk Coastal, and has been running candidate selections for Local Parties for more than three decades.