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Types of election and election results

Types of election and election results

The different types of election, when they’re happening and election results for Bristol.

Everyone in the Bristol City Council area is represented by:

  • one, two or three councillors depending on the size of the ward they live in
  • the Mayor of Bristol City
  • the Combined Authority (WECA) mayor
  • the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Avon and Somerset
  • a Member of Parliament (MP)
  • six Members of the European Parliament (MEPs)

Find out what elections you're eligible to vote in.

Dates of elections

The 2020 local and mayoral elections in England were postponed for a year until 2021 because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Types

 Last election Next election
Local elections 5 May 2016 Thursday 6 May 2021 
Mayor of Bristol 5 May 2016 Thursday 6 May 2021 
PCC election 5 May 2016 Thursday 6 May 2021 
WECA mayor 4 May 2017 Thursday 6 May 2021 
General election 12 December 2019 TBD

Results for the May 2021 local elections will be available from: 

  • Friday 7 May for the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Avon and Somerset
  • Saturday 8 May in the morning for the Combined Authority Mayor for the West of England (WECA) and in the afternoon for Bristol Mayor
  • Sunday 9 May for local councillors elections

Types of elections

Local elections

They’re held once every four years on the first Thursday of May using the first past the post system. Most of the wards within Bristol are multi-member wards.

There could also be an election known as a by-election in a specific area if a councillor needs to be replaced.

What they are

In a local election you’re voting to elect councillors of Bristol who will represent your views for the wards, or area, where you live.

There are:

  • 34 electoral wards in Bristol
  • 70 elected councillors

Find your ward and councillor.

Local election results

You can see:

Visit the Open Election Data site for a list of candidates who have stood at previous elections.

Mayor of Bristol election

Mayoral elections are held every four years on the first Thursday of May using the supplementary voting system. 

Marvin Rees is the elected Mayor of Bristol. Find out more about him.

Mayoral election results

You can view the:

  • Bristol Mayoral Election results and turnout for 2016 and 2012 on our website
  • Webcast of the Bristol Mayoral Election Results 2016 on the Council’s YouTube channel

West of England Combined Authority Mayor election

The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) was established in February 2017.

Tim Bowles (Conservative Party) was elected the WECA Mayor on Thursday 4 May 2017.

The WECA will be led by the elected WECA Mayor (sometimes referred to as the Metro Mayor). Elections for the WECA Mayor are held every four years on the first Thursday of May.

You can view West of England Combined Authority Mayoral Election 4 May 2017 results. 

Find out more about devolution and the role of the Combined Authority Mayor.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset election

Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections are held every four years on the first Thursday of May using the supplementary voting system.

The current Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset is Sue Mountstevens.

Find out about the role of the PCC on the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners website.

UK Parliamentary (General) elections

A UK Parliamentary General Election was held in Bristol on Thursday 12 December 2019.

What it is

In general elections, you elect somebody to represent you in Parliament, as a Member of Parliament (MP), in a parliamentary constituency.
Bristol City Council area has four consistuencies:

  • Bristol East
  • Bristol North West
  • Bristol South
  • Bristol West

See the MPs details for Bristol constituencies.

Visit the UK parliament website for information about the role of MPs and the work of parliament.

Past General Election results

You can see the: 

European Parliamentary elections

What it is

In European Parliamentary Elections, you voted to elect somebody to represent you in the European Parliament as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP).

There were 12 European electoral regions in the UK. Each region had between three and 10 MEPs. Bristol is in the South West region and has six MEPs.

From 31 January the UK doesn’t have any MEPs following its departure from the European Union.

Past European Parliamentary election results

You can find details about MEPs, as well as information about their roles and the role of the European Parliament, on the europarl.org.uk website.

You can view the:

Referendums

A referendum is a vote by the electorate on a single question.

Past referendum results

You can see: 

Business Improvement Districts ballots

Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) are partnerships set up to improve particular commercial areas. 

Businesses in the area can take part in a ballot to choose whether to pay a percentage of their rateable value on top of their business rates to fund projects which benefit local businesses.

For information, results of BID votes and notices of BID ballots for current or recent BIDs visit our business improvement districts page.

Redcliffe and Temple BID ballot

The ballot for Redcliffe and Temple Business Improvement District will take place on Thursday 15 April 2021.

Redcliffe and Temple notice of ballot (pdf, 166KB) (opens new window)

Ballot papers will be sent to those eligible to vote on Thursday 18 March 2021.

They must be completed and returned no later than 5pm Thursday 15 April 2021, the day of the ballot.

For more information about the BID:

If you have any questions about the BID ballot, email electoral.services@bristol.gov.uk

Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)