Senedd Elections: Hustings

Hustings are a great way to engage members of your community in an election and learn about the candidates and parties standing for election too. Below is some guidance for how to arrange a hustings event and further resources to help you make the most of it.

What is a hustings?

A hustings is usually a panel discussion in the run-up to an election where candidates speak about their policies and answer questions from the audience. It's also an opportunity to secure commitments from candidates, while building relationships with your potential elected representatives and community partners. Hustings generally feature candidates from all major parties, are most frequently organised by local organisations such as community or faith groups, and are held in the area where the candidates are standing for election.

Planning a hustings

You'll want to begin by choosing a format, time and venue. You can hold your hustings in person or online or blend the two. Candidates will likely have a packed schedule during the election period, so you may need to arrange a date around their collective availability. Get your request in early and be as flexible as possible. Regardless of the format you choose for the hustings, you will also need to choose someone to host or facilitate it. Make sure you pick someone who isn't publicly affiliated with a political party and is comfortable asking for clarifications from candidates and maintaining order. You should also think about how you will publicise the event to the local community.

Further resources

More in depth guidance is available from the Joint Public Issues Team here and Friends of the Earth here.