An analysis of the 2025 local elections in England has clarified claims about the prevalence of postal voting, revealing that while its use has grown, it constituted a majority of ballots in just one council area. The data, drawn from official reports, provides a detailed breakdown of voting patterns across the country.
The Context of Postal Voting Claims
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage recently suggested at a press conference that postal votes could account for up to 50% of the vote in upcoming council elections, citing a figure of 34% turnout from the 2025 local elections. This statement has prompted scrutiny of the actual figures from last year's electoral events.
Official Statistics from the Electoral Commission
The Electoral Commission's comprehensive report on the local and mayoral elections held in England in May 2025 recorded a total of 1.6 million postal votes. This represented 34% of all ballots counted, confirming Farage's cited percentage at the national level. The report highlighted that registered postal voters were significantly more likely to participate, with a turnout of 69% compared to just 27% for in-person voters, a trend that has intensified since the Covid-19 pandemic.
In England, any registered voter is eligible to apply for a postal vote, a system designed to increase accessibility and participation. The May 2025 elections involved 23 local authorities, including 14 county councils, eight unitary authorities, and one metropolitan district, alongside six mayoral contests.
Detailed Breakdown by Council Area
Press Association analysis of the Electoral Commission's supporting data reveals that only one local authority—Northumberland, a unitary authority—saw postal votes make up more than half of the ballots counted, at precisely 51%. This contrasts with Farage's broader implication that such levels might be common.
Other areas with high postal voting rates included Doncaster at 48%, which combined data from both council and mayoral elections, and Durham at 41%. At the lower end, Oxfordshire recorded the lowest level of postal voting at 25%, with Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, and Shropshire all at 29%.
Ward-Level Analysis and Future Elections
When examining individual wards rather than entire council areas, the data shows that 63 out of 1,400 wards (5%) involved in the 2025 local elections had postal votes accounting for half or more of all ballots counted. This indicates that while postal voting is significant in specific localities, it remains a minority practice overall.
Looking ahead, on May 7 this year, 134 of England's 317 councils will hold local elections, with additional "shadow elections" for new unitary authorities set to be established in 2027. The level of postal voter turnout in these upcoming elections cannot be predicted with certainty, but the 2025 data serves as a benchmark for understanding current trends.
In summary, while postal voting has become more prevalent post-pandemic, the claim that it dominated the 2025 local elections is only accurate for Northumberland. The broader picture shows a 34% national share, with most areas falling well below the 50% threshold, underscoring the importance of precise data in electoral discussions.
