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Millions of voters across England are heading to the polls today in a significant round of local elections—the first major electoral test since last year’s General Election, which brought Labour to power in a landslide. A total of 1,641 council seats are being contested across 23 local authorities. Voters will also elect four regional mayors, two local mayors, and a new Member of Parliament in the Runcorn & Helsby constituency following the resignation of former Labour MP Mike Amesbury.
Polling stations opened at 7am and will remain open until 10pm. Results are expected to begin emerging in the early hours of Friday morning. However, some areas such as East Sussex and Norfolk will not be voting today. Elections there have been postponed until 2026 due to a restructuring of local government announced earlier this year by the newly elected Labour administration.
The Electoral Commission is reminding voters that they must present photo ID at polling stations under new voting rules. The requirement, which has been a subject of controversy, means that without valid ID, voters will not be issued a ballot. Niki Nixon, Director of Communications at the Electoral Commission, said:
“If you’re going along to your polling station to vote on Thursday, don’t forget your photo ID. You’ll need to show it before you can be given your ballot paper. Check you have it with you before heading to the polling station, so that you don’t have to return later in the day.”
In the event that a voter loses their ID or their Voter Authority Certificate does not arrive on time, they may still appoint an emergency proxy to vote on their behalf. This must be arranged through their local council before 5pm on election day, and the proxy must also bring acceptable photo ID.
These elections are being closely watched as they represent the first major political challenge for Prime Minister Keir Starmer since Labour’s sweeping victory last year. Starmer has taken aim at the possibility of a local-level pact between the Conservative Party and Reform UK, warning that such a coalition would be disastrous for the country. He accused both parties of misleading voters with behind-the-scenes deals and lacking coherent solutions.
Starmer stated:
“The Tories have got a terrible record—14 years of failure. Reform moan about everything, but have got no answers. And at the end of the day, Reform and the Tories, there’s all this talk about them getting together and merging.
If you’re a Tory voter who doesn’t want a pro-Russia foreign policy, how does a merger with Reform work for you? If you’re a Reform voter that thinks the Tories have failed for 14 years, how does a coalition with the Tories make sense? Both sets of voters are being conned.”
While Starmer has raised the alarm over potential alliances, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has denied any national-level pact with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, though she did not rule out local arrangements. Badenoch admitted the elections would be challenging for her party, as they continue to recover from their worst-ever defeat at the last general election.
“We're still in the aftermath of our worst defeat ever,” she said. “Last year we suffered a historic defeat, and we need to rebuild trust with the public.”
Polls suggest the Conservative Party is struggling, with Reform UK even surpassing them in some recent surveys. Despite this, Badenoch insisted the elections should not be seen as a referendum on national issues but rather a chance to focus on local governance. She highlighted the Conservative record in local councils and urged supporters to “fight for every single vote.”
“I’ve been travelling all around the country,” she said. “One of the councillors I was with showed a Reform leaflet that said ‘we’re going to stop the boats’. That’s not what people are voting on Thursday. These elections are about bins, roads, schools—not national immigration policies.”
The results of today’s vote could have significant political consequences. Many of the council seats up for grabs were last contested in 2021, when Boris Johnson’s government enjoyed a polling boost due to the success of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout. This time around, with the political landscape transformed, the Conservatives risk heavy losses and Labour seeks to solidify its mandate at the local level.
As the polls remain open throughout the day, voters are being reminded once again to check their ID, know their polling station, and ensure their voices are heard in shaping the future of their local communities.
