← Blackburn With Darwen (all cycles) · 7 May 2026 cohort

Blackburn With Darwen 2026

Local elections held 7 May 2026.

17 ward races

17 seats

13 elected below the proportional quota

76.5% of seats below quota

How to read this page

Each race below shows the share of valid ballots the marginal elected candidate actually won, and compares it to the proportional quota: the share they'd need to clinch the seat under any proportional voting method (1 seats + 1). For a 1-seat ward the quota is 50%; for 2 seats, 33.3%; for 3 seats, 25%.

Where the actual winning share fell below the quota, we show the signed gap as points below quota (a negative number) — the editorial indictment. Above-quota results clear the bar and pass without comment. The voting method is the subject of every observation here. Named candidates appear as the public election record requires; the cause being audited is the voting method, not the individuals. See the methodology page for derivations.

If votes were counted by party

Across the 17 wards in this cycle, parties received the vote totals below. The proportional column shows what each party would have won if the 17 seats had been shared out in proportion to votes received (how, with caveats). The Δ column is the actual seat count minus the proportional seat count — positive numbers are parties First-Past-the-Post over-represented; negative are parties it under-represented.

Party	Votes	Vote %	Seats won	% of seats	Proportional seats	Proportional %	Δ
Reform UK	12,699	29.6%	9	52.9%	5	29.4%	+4
Independent	10,389	24.2%	6	35.3%	4	23.5%	+2
Labour Party	10,018	23.3%	2	11.8%	4	23.5%	-2
Green Party	4,992	11.6%	0	0.0%	2	11.8%	-2
Conservative Party	4,663	10.9%	0	0.0%	2	11.8%	-2
Liberal Democrats	126	0.3%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Workers Party of Britain	73	0.2%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Total	42,960	100.0%	17	100.0%	17	100.0%	0

Vote share vs seats won

The top bar is each party's share of votes cast in this council. Below, one square per seat, coloured by the party that won it — first the actual First-Past-the-Post result, then what a proportional method would have produced from the same vote totals. Divergence between the bar and the actual grid is the indictment of the method.

Vote share

Actual seats

Proportional seats

Council composition: what this election replaced

Two opencouncildata snapshots: the council immediately after the 2026 election (current) and immediately before it (2025). Only ~⅓ of seats were contested in 2026 — most of the bench is unchanged, and the cycle's effect on the overall composition is what shifts.

Current (2026)

Previous (2025)

Wards in this council

Sorted with the largest gap below the quota first. Click any ward to jump to its full result.

Audley and Queen's Park · 1 seat · won at 38.5% · −11.5 pts below quota
West Pennine · 1 seat · won at 39.1% · −10.9 pts below quota
Blackburn Central · 1 seat · won at 41.1% · −8.9 pts below quota
Wensley Fold · 1 seat · won at 41.4% · −8.6 pts below quota
Billinge and Beardwood · 1 seat · won at 41.9% · −8.1 pts below quota
Roe Lee · 1 seat · won at 42.4% · −7.6 pts below quota
Darwen West · 1 seat · won at 43.1% · −6.9 pts below quota
Livesey with Pleasington · 1 seat · won at 43.3% · −6.7 pts below quota
Darwen East · 1 seat · won at 45.2% · −4.8 pts below quota
Blackburn South East · 1 seat · won at 46.6% · −3.4 pts below quota
Bastwell and Daisyfield · 1 seat · won at 46.7% · −3.3 pts below quota
Shear Brow and Corporation Park · 1 seat · won at 47.9% · −2.1 pts below quota
Little Harwood and Whitebirk · 1 seat · won at 48.5% · −1.5 pts below quota
Darwen South · 1 seat · won at 51.0% · above quota
Ewood · 1 seat · won at 51.2% · above quota
Mill Hill and Moorgate · 1 seat · won at 53.7% · above quota
Blackburn South and Lower Darwen · 1 seat · won at 56.0% · above quota

Race results

Audley and Queen's Park · single-seat

Marginal winner 38.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −11.5 pts Valid ballots 2,302

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Aadil Chopdat	Independent	886	38.5%	−11.5 pts	Elected
2	Yusuf Jan-Virmani	Independent	489	21.2%	—
3	Ehsan Raja	Labour Party	427	18.5%	—
4	Catherine Richards	Reform UK	177	7.7%	—
5	Michael Nickson	Green Party	173	7.5%	—
6	Zain Ghulam	Independent	104	4.5%	—
7	Tristan Marrow	Conservative Party	46	2.0%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 2,315 · Invalid 13 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.audley-queens-park.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

West Pennine · single-seat

Marginal winner 39.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −10.9 pts Valid ballots 3,230

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Angela Crane	Reform UK	1,264	39.1%	−10.9 pts	Elected
2	Julie Slater	Conservative Party	939	29.1%	—
3	Jude David Rowley	Labour Party	696	21.5%	—
4	Simon Charlesworth	Green Party	331	10.2%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 3,243 · Invalid 13 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.west-pennine.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Blackburn Central · single-seat

Marginal winner 41.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −8.9 pts Valid ballots 2,105

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Zamir Khan	Labour Party	865	41.1%	−8.9 pts	Elected
2	Aliraza Tariq	Independent	586	27.8%	—
3	Isaac John Cowans	Reform UK	359	17.1%	—
4	Saul Whittle	Green Party	186	8.8%	—
5	Simon Pearce Huggill	Liberal Democrats	55	2.6%	—
6	Keith Murray	Conservative Party	54	2.6%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 2,114 · Invalid 9 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.blackburn-central.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Wensley Fold · single-seat

Marginal winner 41.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −8.6 pts Valid ballots 2,658

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Maulana Siddiq Patel	Independent	1,100	41.4%	−8.6 pts	Elected
2	Tahyub Naser	Labour Party	962	36.2%	—
3	Jordan Andrew Sands	Reform UK	262	9.9%	—
4	Jane Wareing	Green Party	228	8.6%	—
5	Mags Marrow	Conservative Party	57	2.1%	—
6	Altaf Patel	Independent	39	1.5%	—
7	Safvan Patel	Independent	10	0.4%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 2,668 · Invalid 10 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.wensley-fold.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Billinge and Beardwood · single-seat

Marginal winner 41.9% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −8.1 pts Valid ballots 2,800

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Tasleem Fazal	Independent	1,173	41.9%	−8.1 pts	Elected
2	Shabbir Dudhara	Labour Party	470	16.8%	—
3	Imtiaz Ali	Conservative Party	397	14.2%	—
4	Aimee Louise Dewse	Green Party	395	14.1%	—
5	Danny Wilson	Reform UK	365	13.0%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 2,811 · Invalid 11 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.billinge-beardwood.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Roe Lee · single-seat

Marginal winner 42.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −7.6 pts Valid ballots 2,638

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Sajid Ali	Independent	1,119	42.4%	−7.6 pts	Elected
2	Tommy Temperley	Reform UK	676	25.6%	—
3	Hassan Ul-Haq	Green Party	436	16.5%	—
4	Sarah Morrison	Conservative Party	282	10.7%	—
5	Mudassir Shaheen	Workers Party of Britain	73	2.8%	—
6	Liyakat Sidat	Independent	52	2.0%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 2,653 · Invalid 15 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.roe-lee.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Darwen West · single-seat

Marginal winner 43.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −6.9 pts Valid ballots 2,633

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Janine Crook	Reform UK	1,136	43.1%	−6.9 pts	Elected
2	David Smith	Labour Party	986	37.4%	—
3	Eleanor Jean Hill	Green Party	233	8.8%	—
4	Steve Duncan	Conservative Party	207	7.9%	—
5	Ian Charles Thomas	Liberal Democrats	71	2.7%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 2,637 · Invalid 4 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.darwen-west.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Livesey with Pleasington · single-seat

Marginal winner 43.3% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −6.7 pts Valid ballots 3,346

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Helen A R Voegt	Reform UK	1,448	43.3%	−6.7 pts	Elected
2	Rick Moore	Conservative Party	823	24.6%	—
3	Derek James Hardman	Independent	427	12.8%	—
4	Oscar Marshall	Labour Party	325	9.7%	—
5	Paul Anthony Florentine	Green Party	323	9.7%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 3,352 · Invalid 6 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.livesey-with-pleasington.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Darwen East · single-seat

Marginal winner 45.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −4.8 pts Valid ballots 2,033

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Christine Dawson	Reform UK	919	45.2%	−4.8 pts	Elected
2	Martin McCaughran	Labour Party	568	27.9%	—
3	Yasmin Monique Gabrielle Connell	Green Party	362	17.8%	—
4	Ryan Slater	Conservative Party	184	9.1%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 2,040 · Invalid 7 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.darwen-east.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Blackburn South East · single-seat

Marginal winner 46.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −3.4 pts Valid ballots 1,803

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Andy Mahon	Reform UK	840	46.6%	−3.4 pts	Elected
2	Jim Shorrock	Labour Party	487	27.0%	—
3	Ahmed Abdelrahman	Green Party	346	19.2%	—
4	Henry Arnold	Conservative Party	130	7.2%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 1,806 · Invalid 3 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.blackburn-south-east.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Bastwell and Daisyfield · single-seat

Marginal winner 46.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −3.3 pts Valid ballots 2,855

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Shakeel Choudhry	Independent	1,332	46.7%	−3.3 pts	Elected
2	Parwaiz Akhtar	Labour Party	1,127	39.5%	—
3	Matthew Khan-Dyer	Green Party	149	5.2%	—
4	Fajila Patel	Independent	133	4.7%	—
5	Maurice David Robinson	Reform UK	97	3.4%	—
6	Reece MacAulay	Conservative Party	17	0.6%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 2,862 · Invalid 7 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.bastwell-daisyfield.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Shear Brow and Corporation Park · single-seat

Marginal winner 47.9% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −2.1 pts Valid ballots 3,007

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Hussain Akhtar	Labour Party	1,440	47.9%	−2.1 pts	Elected
2	Suleman Khonat	Independent	1,345	44.7%	—
3	Alex Wareing	Green Party	128	4.3%	—
4	Christopher John Powell	Reform UK	74	2.5%	—
5	Adrian Hoole	Conservative Party	20	0.7%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 3,013 · Invalid 6 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.shear-brow-corporation-park.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Little Harwood and Whitebirk · single-seat

Marginal winner 48.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −1.5 pts Valid ballots 2,480

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Haroon Khan	Independent	1,203	48.5%	−1.5 pts	Elected
2	Salim Lorgat	Labour Party	627	25.3%	—
3	John Black	Reform UK	283	11.4%	—
4	James Paul Schofield	Green Party	269	10.8%	—
5	Emma Macaulay	Conservative Party	98	4.0%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 2,487 · Invalid 7 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.little-harwood-whitebirk.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Darwen South · single-seat

Marginal winner 51.0% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +1.0 pts Valid ballots 2,755

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Bradley Langford	Reform UK	1,405	51.0%	+1.0 pts	Elected
2	Sue Skipper	Labour Party	573	20.8%	—
3	Kevin Connor	Conservative Party	471	17.1%	—
4	Denise Veronica Morgan	Green Party	306	11.1%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 2,765 · Invalid 10 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.darwen-south.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Ewood · single-seat

Marginal winner 51.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +1.2 pts Valid ballots 2,021

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	John Alan Clayton	Reform UK	1,034	51.2%	+1.2 pts	Elected
2	Elaine Whittingham	Independent	391	19.3%	—
3	Willem Evans	Green Party	351	17.4%	—
4	Les Cade	Conservative Party	245	12.1%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 2,037 · Invalid 16 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.ewood.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Mill Hill and Moorgate · single-seat

Marginal winner 53.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +3.7 pts Valid ballots 1,951

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Stephen James Hartley	Reform UK	1,047	53.7%	+3.7 pts	Elected
2	Donna Marie Talbot	Labour Party	465	23.8%	—
3	Charlotte Audrey Bradley	Green Party	277	14.2%	—
4	Tillie Delaney	Conservative Party	162	8.3%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 1,957 · Invalid 6 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.mill-hill-moorgate.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Blackburn South and Lower Darwen · single-seat

Marginal winner 56.0% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +6.0 pts Valid ballots 2,343

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Daniel Matchett	Reform UK	1,313	56.0%	+6.0 pts	Elected
2	Jacquie Slater	Conservative Party	531	22.7%	—
3	Hazel Marie Walsh	Green Party	499	21.3%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 2,359 · Invalid 16 · EC ward code local.blackburn-with-darwen.blackburn-south-lower-darwen.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index