St Albans City and District Council election, 2002

Map of the results of the 2002 St Albans City and District Council election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow and Labour in red.

The 2002 St Albans City and District Council election took place on 2 May 2002 to elect members of St Albans District Council in Hertfordshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.^[1]

After the election, the composition of the council was

• Conservative 21
• Liberal Democrats 20
• Labour 15
• Independent 1
• Vacant 1^[2]

Background

Before the election the Liberal Democrats were the largest party on the council with 23 councillors, compared to 19 for the Conservatives, 15 for Labour and there was 1 independent.^[3] 7 councillors stood down at the election, Liberal Democrats John Henchley, John Peters and Brian Roberts, Conservatives Richard Blossom, Patrick Johnston and Julian Turner, and Labour's David Enright.^[3]

The Liberal Democrats targeted Labour held seats in Ashley and St Peter's, while Labour aimed to pick up a seat in Cunningham.^[3] As well as the 3 main political parties, voters could also vote for the No Candidate Deserves My Vote! party in some wards, which was standing in order to give voters the chance to register their abstention at the polls.^[4]

Voting trial

A trial took place in Sopwell and Verulam wards under which voters could vote either by internet, phone, post or at the polling station using a touch screen system.^[5][6] The internet voting trial was funded by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions as part of an attempt to get more people involved in elections.^[7] As a result of the trial one of the wards set the fastest declaration time at only 4 minutes after the close of polling.^[8] However turnout was actually down from 24.1% to 23.3% in Sopwell ward and down from 41.9% to 38.9% in Verulam ward compared to the last election in 2000.^[9]

Election result

The Conservatives gained 3 seats from the Liberal Democrats in Colney Heath, Harpenden North and Sandridge to become the largest party on the council with 21 councillors.^[9] The Liberal Democrats dropped to 20 seats, but did gain an increased share of the votes, while Labour stayed on 15 seats.^[9] There also remained 1 independent councillor and one seat was vacant aftet the death of Verulam Conservative councillor Michael Pugh on 22 April 2002.^[10] Overall turnout at the election was 38.22%,^[11] up from 33.56% at the 2000 election.^[12]

Ward results

By-elections between 2002 and 2003

A by-election was held in Verulam ward on 27 June 2002 after the death of Conservative councillor Michael Pugh.^[14] The seat was gained for the Liberal Democrats by Martin Frearson with a majority of 24 votes over the Conservatives, after Frearson had come second to the Conservatives in the seat at the council election in May.^[14]

Turnout increased by 2% from the May council election and the number of spoiled ballots dropped to 2 from 30 at the May election when the trial of electronic voting had taken place in the ward.^[14]

References

Council elections in Hertfordshire Hertfordshire County Council 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 Broxbourne Borough Council 1973 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 Dacorum Borough Council 1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 East Hertfordshire District Council 1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 Hertsmere Borough Council 1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 North Hertfordshire District Council 1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2015 St Albans City and District Council 1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 Stevenage Borough Council 1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 Three Rivers District Council 1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 Watford Borough Council 1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council 1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 See also: Middlesex County Council elections

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