What do we mean by candidate assessment?

The candidate assessment process is the process by which aspiring candidates gain approval from the party to proceed to the selection stage. The selection stage is where the party chooses who out of a list of approved nominees becomes the party’s candidate for election. It is also important to consider equal representation during the candidate selection stage but this is not covered in detail here. Further information can be found in the Selecting Candidates chapter of the Equal Representation Toolkit.

Each party has their own language to describe their process of candidate assessment. In this chapter we have used the phrases: vetting, assessment and screening interchangeably throughout to describe this stage in the candidate journey. Common activities used to assess potential candidates include an application form and an interview. Additional tasks may be included, such as a presentation or a political knowledge test. We know that all parties carry out assessment slightly differently and that this also may vary across elections.

The chapter will give best practice guidance of how to achieve equal representation during different stages of candidate assessment.

Go back to the Candidate Assessment homepage