diff --git a/client/.env.example b/client/.env.example
index 16d49007..be1741bf 100644
--- a/client/.env.example
+++ b/client/.env.example
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-NEXT_PUBLIC_SEPOLIA_RPC_URL = ENTER_RPC_URL
+NEXT_PUBLIC_SEPOLIA_RPC_URL = http://127.0.0.1:8545
 NEXT_PUBLIC_AMOY_RPC_URL = ENTER_RPC_URL
 NEXT_PUBLIC_FUJI_RPC_URL = ENTER_RPC_URL
 NEXT_PUBLIC_PINATA_JWT = ENTER_PINATA_API_KEY
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/client/app/components/Hooks/GetElectionInformation.ts b/client/app/components/Hooks/GetElectionInformation.ts
index e981f09c..aaa2b0fd 100644
--- a/client/app/components/Hooks/GetElectionInformation.ts
+++ b/client/app/components/Hooks/GetElectionInformation.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export const useElectionInformation = ({
   const electionContract = {
     abi: Election,
     address: electionAddress,
-    chainId: sepolia.id,
+    // chainId: sepolia.id,
   };
   const CCIPContract = {
     abi: CCIPSender,
diff --git a/client/app/components/Hooks/GetMiniElectionInfo.ts b/client/app/components/Hooks/GetMiniElectionInfo.ts
index f7ac89c8..251c3d1f 100644
--- a/client/app/components/Hooks/GetMiniElectionInfo.ts
+++ b/client/app/components/Hooks/GetMiniElectionInfo.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ export const useMiniElectionInfo = ({
   electionAddress: `0x${string}`;
 }) => {
   const { data: electionInfo, isLoading } = useReadContract({
-    chainId: sepolia.id,
+    // chainId: sepolia.id,
     abi: Election,
     address: electionAddress,
     functionName: "electionInfo",
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export const useMiniOwnerInfo = ({
   electionAddress: `0x${string}`;
 }) => {
   const { data: owner, isLoading: loadingOwner } = useReadContract({
-    chainId: sepolia.id,
+    // chainId: sepolia.id,
     abi: Election,
     address: electionAddress,
     functionName: "owner",
diff --git a/client/app/components/Hooks/GetOpenElections.ts b/client/app/components/Hooks/GetOpenElections.ts
index 0c3d6efb..717ee4cb 100644
--- a/client/app/components/Hooks/GetOpenElections.ts
+++ b/client/app/components/Hooks/GetOpenElections.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { useReadContract } from "wagmi";
 
 export const useOpenElection = () => {
   const { data: elections, isLoading } = useReadContract({
-    chainId: sepolia.id,
+    // chainId: sepolia.id,
     abi: ElectionFactory,
     address: ELECTION_FACTORY_ADDRESS,
     functionName: "getOpenElections",
diff --git a/client/app/components/Hooks/GetUserElections.ts b/client/app/components/Hooks/GetUserElections.ts
index d5ebbd01..88d6b32e 100644
--- a/client/app/components/Hooks/GetUserElections.ts
+++ b/client/app/components/Hooks/GetUserElections.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { useReadContract } from "wagmi";
 
 export const useUserElections = () => {
   const { data: elections, isLoading } = useReadContract({
-    chainId: sepolia.id,
+    // chainId: sepolia.id,
     abi: ElectionFactory,
     address: ELECTION_FACTORY_ADDRESS,
     functionName: "getOpenElections",
diff --git a/client/app/constants.ts b/client/app/constants.ts
index 7f18203b..9a2e850b 100644
--- a/client/app/constants.ts
+++ b/client/app/constants.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-// export const ELECTION_FACTORY_ADDRESS =
-//   "0x64c720eBD5227bba57a5E8282893e71087cCcBb8";
-export const ELECTION_FACTORY_ADDRESS =
-  "0x2F432d25CceD9442882188801F47c596Eaaf176d";
-// export const CCIP_FUJI_ADDRESS = "0xf267f0603672E791779E52B153BD9A39C9928767";
+export const ELECTION_FACTORY_ADDRESS = 
+  process.env.NODE_ENV === "development"
+    ? "0x5FbDB2315678afecb367f032d93F642f64180aa3" // Local Hardhat Address
+    : "0x64c720eBD5227bba57a5E8282893e71087cCcBb8"; // Production Sepolia Address
+
 export const CCIP_FUJI_ADDRESS = "0xca2d3fc837b349caf17cbd965856fc33120b1c0f";
 export const SEPOLIA_CHAIN_SELECTOR = BigInt("16015286601757825753");
 export const LINK_FUJI = "0x0b9d5D9136855f6FEc3c0993feE6E9CE8a297846";
@@ -11,4 +11,4 @@ export const AVATARS = [
   "/avatar1.png",
   "/avatar2.png",
   "/avatar3.png",
-];
+];
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/client/app/create/page.tsx b/client/app/create/page.tsx
index d8f62dad..ffdb5dac 100644
--- a/client/app/create/page.tsx
+++ b/client/app/create/page.tsx
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ import { DatePicker } from "rsuite";
 import toast, { Toaster } from "react-hot-toast";
 import { ErrorMessage } from "../helpers/ErrorMessage";
 import { CalendarIcon } from "@heroicons/react/24/outline";
-import { sepolia } from "viem/chains";
-import { ArrowPathIcon , PlusIcon, TrashIcon} from "@heroicons/react/24/solid";
+import { sepolia, hardhat } from "viem/chains";
+import { ArrowPathIcon, PlusIcon, TrashIcon } from "@heroicons/react/24/solid";
 import { useRouter } from "next/navigation";
 import ElectionInfoPopup from "../components/Modal/ElectionInfoPopup";
 
@@ -20,12 +20,15 @@ const CreatePage: React.FC = () => {
   const { switchChain } = useSwitchChain();
   const { chain } = useAccount();
   const { writeContractAsync } = useWriteContract();
+  const isDevelopment = process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development';
   const [startTime, setStartTime] = useState<Date | null>(new Date());
   const [endTime, setEndTime] = useState<Date | null>(new Date());
-  const [candidates,setCandidates] = useState<Candidate[]>([])
+  const [candidates, setCandidates] = useState<Candidate[]>([])
   const changeChain = () => {
-    switchChain({ chainId: sepolia.id });
-  }
+  switchChain({ 
+    chainId: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development' ? hardhat.id : sepolia.id 
+  });
+}
   interface Candidate {
     name: string;
     description: string;
@@ -33,12 +36,12 @@ const CreatePage: React.FC = () => {
   const addCandidate = () => {
     setCandidates([...candidates, { name: "", description: "" }]);
   };
-  
+
   const removeCandidate = (index: number) => {
     const newCandidates = candidates.filter((_, i) => i !== index);
     setCandidates(newCandidates);
   };
-  
+
   const updateCandidate = (index: number, field: keyof Candidate, value: string) => {
     const newCandidates = candidates.map((candidate, i) => {
       if (i === index) {
@@ -55,10 +58,10 @@ const CreatePage: React.FC = () => {
     const description = formData.get("description") as string;
     const ballotType = BigInt(selectedBallot);
 
-    if (candidates.length<2){
+    if (candidates.length < 2) {
       toast.error("At least 2 candidates are required!");
       return;
-    
+
     }
 
     if (!startTime || !endTime) {
@@ -73,11 +76,17 @@ const CreatePage: React.FC = () => {
       toast.error("Invalid timing. End time must be after start time.");
       return;
     }
-    if(candidates.length>0  && candidates.some(candidate=>!candidate.name || !candidate.description)){
+    const normalizedCandidates = candidates.map((candidate) => ({
+      ...candidate,
+      name: candidate.name.trim(),
+      description: candidate.description.trim(),
+    }));
+
+    if (normalizedCandidates.some(candidate => !candidate.name || !candidate.description)) {
       toast.error("please enter all candidate information or remove empty candidates.")
-      return 
+      return
     }
-  // passed candidates to the create election function 
+    // passed candidates to the create election function 
     try {
       await writeContractAsync({
         address: ELECTION_FACTORY_ADDRESS,
@@ -85,7 +94,11 @@ const CreatePage: React.FC = () => {
         functionName: "createElection",
         args: [
           { startTime: start, endTime: end, name, description }, // ElectionInfo object
-          candidates.map((c, index) => ({ candidateID: BigInt(index), name: c.name, description: c.description })), 
+          normalizedCandidates.map((candidate, index) => ({
+            candidateID: BigInt(index),
+            name: candidate.name,
+            description: candidate.description,
+          })),
           ballotType,
           ballotType,
         ],
@@ -104,17 +117,17 @@ const CreatePage: React.FC = () => {
 
   return (
     <motion.div
-    initial={{ opacity: 0 }}
-    animate={{ opacity: 1 }}
-    transition={{ duration: 0.5 }}
-    className="h-screen w-full bg-gradient-to-br pt-[50px] from-gray-100 to-gray-200 flex flex-col items-center justify-start p-4 overflow-y-auto"
-  >
-    <motion.div
-      initial={{ y: 20, opacity: 0 }}
-      animate={{ y: 0, opacity: 1 }}
-      transition={{ delay: 0.2, duration: 0.5 }}
-      className="w-full max-w-2xl bg-white rounded-3xl shadow-2xl p-8 space-y-8 my-12"
+      initial={{ opacity: 0 }}
+      animate={{ opacity: 1 }}
+      transition={{ duration: 0.5 }}
+      className="h-screen w-full bg-gradient-to-br pt-[50px] from-gray-100 to-gray-200 flex flex-col items-center justify-start p-4 overflow-y-auto"
     >
+      <motion.div
+        initial={{ y: 20, opacity: 0 }}
+        animate={{ y: 0, opacity: 1 }}
+        transition={{ delay: 0.2, duration: 0.5 }}
+        className="w-full max-w-2xl bg-white rounded-3xl shadow-2xl p-8 space-y-8 my-12"
+      >
         <h2 className="text-3xl font-extrabold text-gray-800 mb-6 text-center">
           Create New Election
         </h2>
@@ -129,7 +142,7 @@ const CreatePage: React.FC = () => {
             label="Description"
             placeholder="Describe the election"
           />
-          {/* candidate section  shows placeholder if empty candidate and allows to add cnadidates*/ }
+          {/* candidate section  shows placeholder if empty candidate and allows to add cnadidates*/}
           <div className="space-y-4">
             <div className="flex justify-between items-center">
               <h3 className="text-lg font-medium text-gray-900">Candidates</h3>
@@ -144,7 +157,7 @@ const CreatePage: React.FC = () => {
                 Add Candidate
               </motion.button>
             </div>
-            
+
             {candidates.length === 0 ? (
               <p className="text-gray-500 text-sm italic text-center py-4">
                 No candidates added yet. Click "Add Candidate" to begin adding candidates.
@@ -233,7 +246,7 @@ const CreatePage: React.FC = () => {
           </motion.button>
         </form>
       </motion.div>
-      {chain?.id !== sepolia.id && <ChainSwitchModal onSwitch={changeChain} />}
+      {chain?.id !== sepolia.id && (!isDevelopment || chain?.id !== hardhat.id) && <ChainSwitchModal onSwitch={changeChain} />}
       <Toaster />
     </motion.div>
   );
@@ -341,7 +354,7 @@ const ChainSwitchModal: React.FC<ChainSwitchModalProps> = ({ onSwitch }) => (
       className="bg-white rounded-lg p-8 shadow-xl text-center"
     >
       <p className="text-xl mb-4 text-gray-800">
-        Creating Elections is supported only on Sepolia
+        Creating Elections is supported only on Sepolia (or Hardhat in development).
       </p>
       <motion.button
         onClick={onSwitch}
diff --git a/client/app/helpers/client.ts b/client/app/helpers/client.ts
index c6d42f5d..d09db924 100644
--- a/client/app/helpers/client.ts
+++ b/client/app/helpers/client.ts
@@ -2,18 +2,26 @@
 import { getDefaultConfig } from "@rainbow-me/rainbowkit";
 import { QueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { http } from "wagmi";
-import { sepolia, polygonAmoy, avalancheFuji } from "wagmi/chains";
+// 1. We added 'hardhat' to the imports here
+import { sepolia, polygonAmoy, avalancheFuji, hardhat } from "wagmi/chains";
 
 export const config = getDefaultConfig({
   appName: "Agora-Blockchain",
   projectId: "8501447cf73c4e68061f7ed912d6a8ee",
-  chains: [sepolia, avalancheFuji],
+  chains: [
+    ...(process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development' ? [hardhat] : []),
+    sepolia,
+    avalancheFuji,
+  ],
   ssr: true,
   transports: {
+    ...(process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development' && {
+      [hardhat.id]: http('http://127.0.0.1:8545'),
+    }),
     [sepolia.id]: http(process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SEPOLIA_RPC_URL),
     [polygonAmoy.id]: http(process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_AMOY_RPC_URL),
     [avalancheFuji.id]: http(process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_FUJI_RPC_URL),
   },
 });
 
-export const queryClient = new QueryClient();
+export const queryClient = new QueryClient();
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/client/package.json b/client/package.json
index a3d924b1..5c5a3ee1 100644
--- a/client/package.json
+++ b/client/package.json
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
     "lint": "next lint"
   },
   "dependencies": {
+    "@emotion/is-prop-valid": "^1.4.0",
     "@headlessui/react": "^2.1.0",
     "@material-tailwind/react": "^2.1.9",
     "@nextui-org/theme": "^2.2.6",