Millions of voters across Scotland, Wales, and parts of England are heading to the polls on Thursday, May 7, in the largest set of elections since the 2024 general election. Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm, with final results not expected until nearly 48 hours after voting ends.
What elections are taking place?
Voters in Scotland are electing members of the 129-seat Scottish Parliament, which has devolved powers over health, education, housing, policing, transport, the environment, and some taxation. In Wales, the Senedd has been expanded from 60 to 96 seats, with powers over health, education, transport, and the environment. In England, 136 local authorities are holding elections, including all 32 London boroughs, 48 district councils, 18 unitary authorities (such as Hull, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, and Southampton), 32 metropolitan boroughs (including Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, and Newcastle), and six county councils (East Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, and West Sussex). Six mayoral elections are also taking place in Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets, and Watford. Over 5,000 council seats are up for grabs.
Candidate numbers
Labour is fielding the most candidates in the English local elections, with nearly 4,900, followed closely by Reform (close to 4,800) and the Conservatives (just over 4,700). The Greens have almost 4,500 candidates, the Liberal Democrats just under 4,000, and over 2,000 candidates from minor parties, independents, and residents' groups. In Scotland, the SNP, Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and Reform are contesting all 73 constituency seats, while the Greens are standing in six. All eight regional seats (each returning seven members) are contested by the SNP, Labour, Conservatives, Lib Dems, Reform, and Greens. In Wales, a new voting system divides the country into 16 super-constituencies, each electing six members proportionally. Labour, Conservatives, Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru, Reform, and Greens have full slates in all 16 constituencies.
Defending seats
In England, Labour is defending just over half of the contested council seats, reflecting its strength in London and metropolitan boroughs, while the Conservatives defend just over a quarter. This contrasts with last year's local elections, where the Tories defended the most seats due to county council contests. The Liberal Democrats defend around 700 seats, the Greens nearly 200, and Reform 80 (mostly from by-elections or defections). Boundary changes in Scotland mean some seats are unchanged, while others have been renamed, reshaped, or created new. At the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, the SNP won 64 seats (one short of a majority), Conservatives 31, Labour 22, Greens eight, and Liberal Democrats four. In Wales, the Senedd's expansion to 96 seats and new constituencies make direct comparisons impossible. In 2021, Labour won 30 of 60 seats (one short of a majority), Tories 16, Plaid Cymru 13, and Lib Dems one.
Polling and ID requirements
Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm. Voters in England must show photo ID, such as a passport, driving licence, armed forces veteran card, or older person's bus pass. No photo ID is needed for Scottish Parliament or Senedd elections.
Result timings
Ballot papers in Scotland and Wales will be counted on Friday, May 8, with first results expected in the early afternoon and final declarations in the evening. In England, 46 of the 136 local authorities will count overnight, with results between 1am and 6am on May 8. Most remaining authorities will start counting at 9am on May 8, declaring results from late morning through evening. All six mayoral results in England are due on the afternoon of May 8. Four authorities (Bradford, Croydon, Lewisham, and Tower Hamlets) will count on Saturday, May 9, with full results likely by evening.
