Report on the 2026 England mayoral and local government elections

This report looks at how the May 2026 elections were run, how voters and campaigners found taking part, and what lessons can be learned for the future. We have reported separately on the Senedd and Scottish Parliament elections.

On 7 May, elections were held across England for metropolitan, London borough, unitary, district and county councils, alongside six directly elected local mayoral contests.

Overall, the elections were well run. Public confidence remains high, with most voters satisfied with voting and registration, and most candidates confident that the elections were well administered. Turnout increased compared with recent comparable elections, reaching 41.2% in metropolitan, London borough, unitary and district elections, and 45.2% in county council elections.

However, some problems remain. Disabled voters continue to face barriers, despite returning officers providing support and equipment in polling stations. Awareness of available assistance remains low, including among voters who could benefit from it. More must be done to make sure voters know what support is available and how to request it before polling day.

Awareness of the voter ID requirement remains high, but awareness of the free Voter Authority Certificate is still much lower. The UK government should review the design, implementation and use of the Voter Authority Certificate, including whether a digital version could make it easier and quicker for voters to access.

Candidates generally understood the rules to stand for election, but abuse and intimidation remain serious and growing concerns. Many candidates experienced harassment, threats or inappropriate behaviour, particularly online, and this is changing how some campaign. Political parties should support the Speaker’s Conference recommendation to develop a code of conduct for campaigning and work with us as we build on the Principles for Campaigning published ahead of the May elections. Social media companies should also do more to remove abusive content quickly and identify perpetrators.  

Voters also remain concerned about the accuracy of election information. More than half of people surveyed said they had seen misinformation, and one in ten said they had seen deepfake material. Our deepfake detection pilot found that political deepfakes were not widespread at these elections, but future risks remain significant. Our electoral and democratic systems are part of the UK’s critical national infrastructure and electoral law and online platform duties should be updated so they can respond to misinformation, disinformation and manipulated media.

Electoral administrators delivered well-run elections but the system remains under pressure. Staff recruitment, postal and print supplier issues, and uncertainty around proposed postponements created challenges. The UK government should provide clear implementation plans and sufficient funding for future electoral changes, particularly those proposed in the Representation of the People Bill