When and where are the May local elections and who can vote?
Getty ImagesVoters in parts of England will elect councillors and mayors on Thursday 1 May.
These are the first local elections since the general election in July 2024.
Which elections are taking place on 1 May?
Elections are taking place in 24 councils across England.
All seats will be contested in:
- 14 county councils: Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire, Devon, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire
- 8 unitary authorities: Buckinghamshire, Cornwall, County Durham, North Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Shropshire, West Northamptonshire and Wiltshire
- 1 metropolitan district: Doncaster
Council elections are also taking place in the Isles of Scilly.
Six mayoral elections are also happening: in the West of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, North Tyneside, Doncaster and – for the first time – in Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire.
On 5 February, the government announced that some local elections would not take place as planned.
Elections in East Sussex, West Sussex, Essex, Thurrock, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Norfolk, Suffolk and Surrey will be delayed until 2026 as part of a wider shake-up of local government.
No routine elections are taking place in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
How can I vote in the May elections?
There are three ways to vote:
- in person at your local polling station on election day between 0700 BST and 2200 BST
- by postal vote
- by nominating a proxy - someone to vote on your behalf
To vote in local elections you must be:
- aged 18 or over
- registered at an address in the area where you want to vote
- a British or Irish citizen
- an eligible Commonwealth citizen
- a qualifying EU citizen - the rules vary according to which country you are from
Voters in some areas may have several ballot papers for the different elections taking place.
In council elections, voters generally have one vote for each available seat in an election area - known as a ward or division. However, some large wards have several seats.
As in general elections, whoever receives the most votes wins. If, for example, there are three seats available, then the top three candidates win.
Mayors are also elected under this system, known as first-past-the-post.
What is the deadline for registering to vote?
To vote in person in England and Wales, you must be on the electoral register by 23:59 BST on Friday 11 April 2025.
You can register online with your National Insurance number, or by writing to your council's electoral registration office.
If you are already registered, the deadline to request a postal vote is 17:00 BST on 5pm on Monday 14 April.
If you are already registered, the deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 17:00 BST on 5pm on Wednesday 23 April.
The rules about postal voting have changed, and you now need to reapply every three years. Any postal vote which was set up before 31 October 2023 will expire on 31 January 2026.
The proxy rules have also changed. Proxy votes in place before 31 October 2023 have already expired, and you must apply for a new one.
What ID do I need to vote?
You must show photo ID in order to vote in person. You do not need your polling card.
There are more than 20 acceptable forms of ID, including passports, driving licences and - from 1 May - Armed Forces Veteran Cards.
You can use out-of-date ID as long as you are still recognisable.
Anyone who is already registered to vote but doesn't have the correct ID - or who no longer looks like their photo - can apply for a free document known as a Voter Authority Certificate.
The deadline to apply for a certificate to use in the May elections is 17:00 BST on Wednesday 23 April.
What can and can't I do in the polling station?
Writing implements are provided but you can bring your own pen or pencil.
You must not take selfies or any other photographs inside a polling station.
With the exception of assistance dogs, animals are not usually allowed in polling stations, but can be admitted at the discretion of the local authority.
You are welcome to bring your children but they must not mark your vote on the ballot paper.
You can wear political clothing but you must not discuss any of the candidates inside the polling station.
What happened in the 2024 local elections?
In the May 2024 local elections - where different councils were up for election - Labour won more than 1,000 of the 2,660 seats being contested.
The Conservatives lost almost as many councillors as they held and ended up in third place behind the Liberal Democrats.
In total, 20 councils changed hands, with Labour gaining ten and losing two.
Labour also won nine out of the ten mayoral contests, with the Conservatives winning the other.
What do local councils do and why do local elections matter?
Different types of councils are responsible for a variety of local services. These include:
- care for the elderly and disabled
- fixing potholes on some roads
- collecting rubbish and recycling
- housing
- education
Getty ImagesMany councils are facing a funding crisis, and have cut services.
Voters in the May elections will have seen their council tax increase in April.
What do mayors do?
Six mayors will be elected on 1 May:
- two single authority mayors in Doncaster and North Tyneside
- four metro mayors in the West of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Greater Lincolnshire, and Hull and East Yorkshire
A single authority mayor is the political leader of the council. They are responsible for delivering local council services.
Metro mayors are regional leaders who chair combined authorities, which are groups of several local councils.
They set out plans to boost their local economy, and have some powers over housing and transport.
When will the May election results be known?
Some local election results will be announced overnight into Friday 2 May, including three of the mayoral results.
Most of the council seats will be counted on Friday.
No results are expected over the weekend.