More than 5,000 council seats will be up for grabs when voters in England go to the polls on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in the largest set of local elections in England for three years. These elections are seen as a crucial test for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party, which is defending the majority of seats.
Where are the elections happening?
Elections are taking place for 136 local authorities, including major cities and the whole of London. The mix includes urban authorities, rural districts, and several county councils.
How many seats are being contested?
A total of 5,013 seats are being contested across these authorities. Most were last up for election in 2022, when the Conservative government under Boris Johnson was trailing Labour amid the Partygate scandal. That year saw Labour, the Liberal Democrats, and Greens gain at Tory expense, while Reform UK won only two seats.
Which parties are defending seats?
Labour is defending 2,557 seats, the Conservatives 1,362, the Liberal Democrats 684, and other parties (including independents) 410. These figures, calculated by professors Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, include notional defences for seats affected by boundary changes.
What do the polls suggest?
Analysis by Rallings and Thrasher suggests Labour could lose over 1,000 councillors if it repeats its poor performance from May 2025, when both Labour and the Tories lost seats to Reform, the Lib Dems, Greens, and independents. Since then, Labour's vote share in local by-elections has fallen by an average of 25%, which could push losses closer to 2,000. The Conservatives face particular risk in county council elections, where Reform could take dozens of seats. Reform, the Lib Dems, and Greens are all expected to make net gains.
Challenges for the main parties
While local elections focus on community issues like bin collections, social care, and roads, they also reflect national concerns such as the cost of living, economy, migration, and foreign affairs. Starmer and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch both aim to limit losses, while Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey, Reform leader Nigel Farage, and Green leader Zack Polanski seek to make gains and meet supporter expectations.
When will results be declared?
Polls close at 10pm on May 7, but only about a third of councils will count overnight. Most will begin counting on Friday, May 8, with full results expected in the early afternoon. A few councils may not finish until Saturday, May 9.
Other elections on the same day
Elections are also being held in Scotland for the Scottish Parliament and in Wales for the Senedd.
