Electoral Commission strategy and policy statement
The UK Government has announced it intends to abolish the power for the government to set a strategy and policy statement for the Electoral Commission.
Seven combined authority areas held mayoral elections in May 2021. This briefing shows who won and analyses data on vote share, turnout and candidates.
Combined authority mayoral elections 2021 (6MB PDF)
Labour candidates won five out of the seven combined authority (metro-)mayor elections in May 2021, with the Conservative candidates winning the remaining two. Labour mayors now govern combined authorities covering more than 8.5 million people and Conservative mayors govern areas covering more than 3.6 million people. The Green Party came third in all five elections they contested, ahead of the Liberal Democrats.
In three elections, the winning candidate won more than 50% of the first preference votes. The other elections went to the second preference votes round.
Tracy Brabin was elected mayor of West Yorkshire, the first woman to hold a metro-mayor position.
This paper presents the results of the elections and analyses data on turnout, vote shares and candidates.

Combined authority mayoral elections 2021 (6MB PDF)
The UK Government has announced it intends to abolish the power for the government to set a strategy and policy statement for the Electoral Commission.
Polling day for UK elections is usually Thursday and cannot be held at a weekend. Weekend voting pilots were held in four areas in local elections in May 2026.
The UK Government authorised early and flexible voting pilot schemes in England in May 2026. Further pilots are due in May 2027.