Voters will head to polling stations on May 7 in the biggest electoral test for political parties since Labour won the general election in July 2024. Nearly 25,000 candidates are competing for more than 5,000 seats across 136 councils in England.
Key Contests and Candidates
Reform UK has fielded around 4,800 candidates, fewer than 100 less than Labour and about 50 more than the Conservatives. The Greens have almost 4,500 candidates, with the Liberal Democrats close behind at just under 4,000. Over 2,000 other candidates represent minor parties, stand as independents, or run for residents' groups.
Labour is defending approximately 2,500 of the contested seats, which could pose challenges for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer if the party suffers significant losses. The Conservatives are defending 1,236 seats, the Liberal Democrats 706, the Greens 194, and Reform UK only 83—mostly from by-election victories or deflections since the last council elections.
Geographic Scope
Elections are taking place in some of England's largest cities, including all of London, alongside a mix of rural districts and several county councils. This is the largest set of local elections in England in three years and a key test for all political parties.
More than half of the seats up for grabs are defended by Labour, reflecting its current strength in London and metropolitan boroughs, while just over a quarter are Conservative defences. This contrasts with last year's local elections, when the Tories defended the most seats due to county council dominance.
Mayoral Elections
Mayoral contests are also being held in Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, and Tower Hamlets in London, as well as Watford in Hertfordshire.
Timing of Results
Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on May 7. The first results are expected within a few hours of polls closing, with the final result anticipated on the evening of Saturday, May 9.
All mayoral elections will be counted on Friday, May 8. Hackney and Newham are expected to declare at 1pm, Watford at 2pm, Lewisham at 3pm, Croydon at 4pm, and Tower Hamlets at around 6pm.
