PCC election 2021

The Police and Crime Commissioner election will take place on Thursday 6 May 2021.

Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are elected every four years. The last election was in May 2016, with the elections that were due to be held in May 2020 being postponed by 12 months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, the next PCC term will be three years.

The incumbent PCC, Martyn Underhill, has announced his retirement and is not seeking re-election.

Information on candidates will be published here from April 15.

Election Process

The overall responsibility for the election process lies with the Police Area Returning Officer (PARO) for each police force area. For Dorset, the PARO is Graham Farrant, the Chief Executive of BCP Council. Further information about the election can be viewed on the BCP Council website, here.

The key dates for the PCC election are as follows: 

• Monday, 29 March 2021: Publication of Notice of PCC Election (pre-election period begins)
• Tuesday, 30 March to Thursday, 8 April 2021: Nomination period for PCC candidates
• Friday, 9 April 2021: Publication of statement of persons nominated for PCC election
• Thursday, 6 May 2021: Election day
• Friday, 7 May 2021: Count and declaration of result
• Wednesday, 12 May 2021: Term of incumbent PCC ceases
• Thursday, 13 May 2021: Newly elected PCC takes office

Information for PCC Candidates

If you are interested in standing as a PCC candidate for the Dorset Police area you can visit the Electoral Commission website for guidance, here.

You can also find out more about the PCC role from the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners’ website, here, and Candidate Briefing, here (PDF).

Dorset Police and the Dorset OPCC will be hosting a candidate briefing session for declared candidates in due course. If you wish to attend this event, and have not yet notified the OPCC of your candidacy, please register your interest by emailing the Chief Executive, Simon Bullock, on pcc@dorset.pnn.police.uk.

This page will be updated as further guidance becomes available.