United Kingdom local elections, 2011

The 2011 United Kingdom local elections were held on Thursday 5 May 2011. In England, direct elections were held in all 36 Metropolitan boroughs, 194 Second-tier district authorities, 49 unitary authorities and various mayoral posts, meaning local elections took place in all parts of England with the exception of six unitary authorities (Cornwall, Durham, the Isle of Wight, Northumberland, Shropshire and Wiltshire), seven districts and boroughs (Adur, Cheltenham, Fareham, Gosport, Hastings, Nuneaton and Bedworth and Oxford), and the 32 London boroughs. For the majority of English districts and the 25 unitary authorities that are elected "all out" these were the first elections since 2007. In Northern Ireland, there were elections to all 26 local councils.

On the same day, elections to the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly of Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly were held. A UK-wide referendum^[4] on whether to adopt the Alternative Vote electoral system for elections to the House of Commons and the Leicester South by-election was also held.

British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens living in the UK who were 18 or over on election day were entitled to vote in the local council and devolved assembly elections. The deadline for voters in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to register to vote in the 5 May elections was midnight on Thursday 14 April 2011, whilst voters in Scotland had until midnight on Friday 15 April 2011 to register. Anyone in the United Kingdom who qualified as an anonymous elector had until midnight on Tuesday 26 April 2011 to register.^[5]

Background

Elections were due to be held to Scottish councils, but these have been postponed until 2012 to avoid clashing with the elections to the Scottish Parliament following problems in 2007.^[6]

England

Metropolitan boroughs

All 36 English Metropolitan borough councils one third of their seats were up for election.

Unitary authorities

Whole council

In 30 English Unitary authorities the whole council were up for election.

Third of council

In 19 English Unitary authorities one third of the council were up for election.

Non-metropolitan districts

Whole council

In 127 English district authorities the whole council were up for election.

Third of council

In 67 English district authorities one third of the council were up for election.

Mayoral elections

Five direct mayoral elections were held.

Northern Ireland

Elections were held on the same day to local government in Northern Ireland.^[7]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q} Elections 2011: SNP steals show amid Lib Dem woes
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Sparrow, Andrew (5 May 2011). "Election results 2011 - Thursday 5 May". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2011/may/05/election-results#block-82. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} Compared to the United Kingdom local elections, 2010
4. ^ "Clegg announces date for AV referendum". BBC Democracy Live. 2010-07-05. http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/house_of_commons/newsid_8788000/8788869.stm. Retrieved 2010-07-07. 
5. ^ The deadline for the receipt and determination of anonymous electoral registration applications is the same as the publication date of the notice of alteration to the Electoral Register (i.e. the fifth working day before election day).
6. ^ "Election separation plan passed". BBC News. 2009-06-17. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8105700.stm. Retrieved 2010-07-07. 
7. ^ "Plan to cut Northern Ireland councils may be delayed until 2015". Belfast Telegraph. 2010-05-07. http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/plan-to-cut-northern-ireland-councils-may-be-delayed-until-2015-14796633.html#ixzz0oqCDB5Hm. Retrieved 2010-07-07.