English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026

Elections for mayors of combined county authorities E+W

18 After paragraph 4 insert—

“4A (1) This paragraph applies where there are three or more candidates to be a mayor.

(2) In this Schedule—

• “first preference vote” means a mayoral vote to the extent that it is given so as to indicate a voter’s first preference from among the candidates to be the mayor;

• “second preference vote” means a mayoral vote to the extent that it is given so as to indicate a voter’s second preference from among the candidates to be the mayor.

(3) If one of the candidates to be the mayor receives more than half of all the first preference votes given in the election that candidate is to be returned as the mayor.

(4) If none of the candidates to be the mayor receives more than half of all the first preference votes given in the election, the following provisions of this paragraph apply.

(5) The two candidates who received the greatest number of first preference votes given in the election remain in the contest.

(6) If, by reason of an equality of first preference votes, three or more candidates are qualified to remain in the contest by virtue of sub-paragraph (5), all of them remain in the contest.

(7) The other candidates are eliminated from the contest.

(8) The number of second preference votes given in the election for each of the candidates remaining in the contest by voters who did not give their first preference vote to any of those candidates must be ascertained.

(9) The person who must be returned as the mayor is that one of the candidates remaining in the contest who has the greatest total number of preference votes.

(10) If, by reason of an equality of total number of preference votes, two or more candidates remaining in the contest each have the greatest total number of preference votes, the returning officer is to decide by lots which of them is to be returned as the mayor.

(11) In this paragraph “mayoral vote” has the meaning given by paragraph 4(1) (as read with sub-paragraph (3) of that paragraph).”

Commencement Information

I1 Sch. 30 para. 18 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 108(6)

I2 Sch. 30 para. 18 in force at 18.6.2026 by S.I. 2026/656, reg. 2(b) (with reg. 3)