What are imprints?
Imprints on electoral material include essential information about the responsible people involved in producing the material. These imprints commonly show details such as the name of the printing company, the promoter or election authority overseeing the process, and any other relevant individuals or organisations for whom the electoral material is created on their behalf. Imprints serve to establish transparency and accountability in the production of election-related documents, ensuring that stakeholders and voters can identify the key players involved in the printing process.
Is it a legal requirement?
Yes. It is a legal requirement to include an imprint on any printed election material whose purpose is to promote a party or candidate that is available to the UK public. There may be different criteria depending on the area within the UK that you are based in.
For more information on the legal implications of imprints, please see the Electoral Commission’s website.
What should you include on an imprint?
Any printed election material must include the name and address of the printer, the promoter and anyone else whom the print is being produced for on their behalf.
The address can be a home address or an office address.
An example of imprints.
Printed by PrintingCO, 2 Fulton Rd, West Gourdie Industrial Estate, Dundee.
Promoted by Dean Matthews, 768 High Street, Perth on behalf of Carole Tuscan of 867 Viewfield Rd, Perth.
Placement
Where you place your imprint is important. If you are printing a single-sided poster or flyer, you must include the imprint on the side with the content. You can’t place it on the reverse where no one can see.
If you are printing a leaflet, then it is best practice to have the text running along the long edge of the fold on the front or back, as this is generally the longest area on the page. This also goes for booklets; the imprint must be displayed on either the front or the back of the material.
Placing the imprint on the very edge of your print may result in the text being cut during the printing process. Please take into consideration safe zones in your design process, and make sure that the text will be printed correctly.
Size of font.
The text for the imprint must correspond to the size of the page that you are printing. We recommend that you use a minimum of 12pt font size and a clear font such as Ariel or Times New Roman.
If printing larger items like posters or banners, please adjust the size of your font in relation to the size of your print.
The Electoral Commission.
For more information on imprints, the Electoral Commission is an independent organisation that oversees the UK political elections laws and regulations.