On May 1, 2025, voters across swathes of England trudged to polling stations, pencils in hand, to choose local councillors and mayors in a scrappy, high-stakes round of elections. It’s the first big electoral dust-up since the general election last July, and roughly a third of England’s voters—millions of them—got their say in who’ll run the nuts and bolts of their communities. From bin collections to school funding, these are the folks who keep the lights on and the potholes filled. Or don’t.
The ballot action spans 23 councils, with over 1,600 seats up for grabs. Fourteen county councils—think big players like Lancashire, Kent, and Devon—are in the mix, alongside eight unitary authorities, including Cornwall and Buckinghamshire, which handle everything from social care to streetlights. Doncaster’s metropolitan council is also on the chopping block, with all 55 seats and its mayor’s post in play. Then there’s the Isles of Scilly, a tiny outlier with its own quirky council election, where 15 of 16 seats were already locked up uncontested before polls even opened. Only St. Martin’s islanders are actually voting today.
Six mayoral races are stealing some of the spotlight. Voters in the West of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, North Tyneside, and Doncaster are picking their top dogs, while two brand-new mayoral posts—Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire—are up for grabs for the first time. These metro mayors aren’t just figureheads; they’ve got clout over transport, housing, and economic development, steering millions in budgets. Meanwhile, a Westminster by-election in Runcorn and Helsby, Cheshire, is running alongside, with voters choosing a new MP after the last one stepped down.
Polls opened at 7 a.m. and slammed shut at 10 p.m., with most councils holding off on counting votes until Friday, May 2. Some mayoral results, like North Tyneside and Doncaster, might trickle in overnight, but others, including Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, are expected by Friday evening. The Runcorn and Helsby by-election’s outcome? Still a question mark on timing.
Voters needed to flash photo ID to cast their ballots, a rule cemented by the Elections Act 2022. Passports, driving licenses, or blue badges work; selfies in the polling booth don’t. You could bring your kids or a pen, but no pets—unless it’s an assistance dog—and no chatting up candidates inside. The Electoral Commission had been hammering the voter registration deadline, which closed April 11, and warned latecomers they’re out of luck for this round.
Not every council’s in the game. Nine local authorities, including Essex and Surrey, got a pass until 2026, thanks to government plans to reorganize local councils into leaner, meaner unitary setups. The move, greenlit after a December 2024 devolution white paper, sparked grumbles from some who called it a dodge to delay tough races. Still, the law passed, and those elections are on ice.
The councils up for election are a mix of heavyweights and scrappy single-tier outfits. County councils like Hertfordshire and Worcestershire oversee big-ticket services—think education and social care—while unitary authorities like Shropshire and Wiltshire juggle those plus local headaches like planning and rubbish collection. Doncaster’s mayor, unlike the metro mayors, acts more like a council boss, directly running the show.
About 1,270 parish and town councils are also holding elections, though they’re less flashy, often flying under the radar. These hyper-local reps deal with parks, footpaths, and community halls—small fry, maybe, but closest to the ground. With some lower-tier councils facing mergers, these tiny elections could matter more down the line.
The first results are expected overnight, with the bulk landing Friday afternoon. By then, England will know who’s calling the shots in town halls and mayoral offices for the next four years.