London’s 2021 elections – a review

How effectively were the 2021 Mayor of London and London Assembly elections delivered?

• A temporary change to the nomination process reduced the number of signatures that candidates were required to collect from 330 to 66 - a record 20 Mayoral candidates stood.
• The elections saw the highest number of new Assembly Members elected since the London Assembly’s formation in 2000, with 12 new Assembly Members in total.
• The ballot paper for the Mayoral contest and London-wide Assembly contest required two columns, in order to accommodate the requirements of the e-count.
• Around 114,000 first preference votes were rejected in the Mayoral election, or five per cent of the votes cast.
• Following the 12 months delay due to COVID-19, costs increased to £38 million, more than double the 2016 cost.
• There is a legal requirement to produce a hard-copy election booklet for every voter, instead of one for every household.
• There are potential implications with the Government’s plans to review the voting system.

Tomorrow, the London Assembly Election Review Working Group will investigate all aspects of the 2021 London elections with both candidates and administrators. The guests are:

• Mary Harpley, Greater London Returning Officer, GLA
• Alex Conway, Deputy Greater London Returning Officer, GLA
• Andrew Smith, Chair of the London Branch of Electoral Administrators, London Borough of Wandsworth
• Mark Hough, Agent for Steve Kelleher, Mayoral Candidate, Social Democratic Party
• Richard Hewison, Mayoral Candidate, Rejoin EU Party

The meeting will take place on Thursday, 29 July 2021 from 2pm, in the Chamber at City Hall (The Queen’s Walk, London SE1).

Media and members of the public are invited to attend.

The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube

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