Electoral System Shake-Up: Mayoral Elections to See Preferential Voting Return

The UK government has unveiled significant reforms to the electoral system for mayoral and police and crime commissioner elections in England. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill proposes a return to the Supplementary Vote (SV) system, replacing the current First Past the Post (FPTP) method. This move aims to ensure Major Mayoral Elections Electoral System Shake-Up elected mayors secure broader mandates and enhance public trust in the political process.

Key Takeaways

• The Supplementary Vote (SV) system will be reinstated for mayoral and police and crime commissioner elections in England.
• This reverses the 2022 Conservative government’s switch to First Past the Post (FPTP).
• The change is part of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, aiming to devolve power and empower communities.
• Proponents argue SV ensures elected officials have a broader mandate, as it requires candidates to secure more than 50% of the vote through first and second preferences.
• Critics of FPTP for mayoral elections point to recent instances where mayors were elected with less than a majority of the vote, undermining their legitimacy.

Reversing a Controversial Change

The decision to reintroduce the Supplementary Vote system marks a significant reversal of the 2022 reform by the previous Conservative government, which had adopted First Past the Post for these elections. The SV system allows voters to select a first and second preference. If no candidate achieves an outright majority with first preferences, second preferences are then distributed, ensuring the winning candidate secures over 50% of the vote. This contrasts sharply with FPTP, where the candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of whether they achieve a majority.

Why the Shift Back?

The move has been widely welcomed by Labour MPs and electoral reform campaigners. Concerns had been raised that FPTP led to mayors being elected on small shares of the vote, particularly in recent elections. For example, in the 2024 mayoral elections, several winning candidates did not secure a majority of the vote, with some elected on as little as 25% or 28%. This raised questions about the democratic legitimacy of their mandates.

• Enhanced Mandate: SV ensures elected mayors have a broader base of support, as they must appeal to voters’ second preferences.
• Increased Trust: Campaigners believe this will help restore public trust in politics, which has seen historic lows.
• Addressing “Gerrymandering” Concerns: The previous switch to FPTP was viewed by some as an attempt to boost Conservative chances in Labour-dominated areas, leading to accusations of electoral “gerrymandering.”

Broader Calls for Electoral Reform

While the focus of the bill is on mayoral elections, the reforms have reignited calls for a wider review of the UK’s electoral systems, particularly for general elections. Many MPs and campaign groups, such as Make Votes Matter, advocate for a National Commission on Electoral Reform to explore options for a more representative system for Westminster, such as Proportional Representation. They argue that FPTP for general elections also leads to disproportional outcomes and leaves a significant portion of the electorate feeling unrepresented.

The Devolution Bill’s Wider Impact

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill extends beyond electoral reform, proposing a “radical reset to local government.” Other key measures include:

• Granting the Secretary of State powers to direct local authorities to reorganise into larger unitary authorities.
• Making it easier for communities to take ownership of local assets through a new “right to buy.”
• Protecting local sports grounds.
• Banning upward-only rent review clauses in commercial leases.
• Granting mayors more power to accelerate housing and infrastructure development.
• Introducing new licensing powers for rental e-bikes and new planning powers for local authorities.
• Establishing a new Local Audit Office to oversee council spending.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner stated the bill delivers on a promise of change, aiming to “rebalance decade-old divides and empower communities.” However, the bill has faced criticism from some, with the Conservatives accusing Rayner of a “brazen power grab” and “Labour gerrymandering under the guise of reform.”

Sources

• Bot Verification, Electoral Reform Society.
• Labour to scrap first past the post for mayoral and PCC elections, LabourList.
• First Past the Post to Be Scrapped for English Mayoral Elections in Bid to Reverse Conservative
  ‘Gerrymandering’ – Byline Times, Byline Times.
• Nocookies | Sky News Australia, Sky News Australia.
• Ministers propose voting changes for mayoral elections in English devolution bill | Mayoral elections, The Guardian.