← Bolton (all cycles) · 3 May 2018 cohort

Bolton 2018

Local elections held 3 May 2018.

20 ward races
21 seats
7 elected below the proportional quota
33.3% 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 20 wards in this cycle, parties received the vote totals below. The proportional column shows what each party would have won if the 21 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.

PartyVotesVote %Seats won% of seatsProportional seatsProportional %Δ
Labour Party29,47638.5%838.1%942.9%-1
Conservative Party26,08534.1%942.9%838.1%+1
Liberal Democrats10,61313.9%29.5%314.3%-1
FKF4,4605.8%29.5%14.8%+1
UK Independence Party (UKIP)2,2633.0%00.0%00.0%0
Green Party2,0542.7%00.0%00.0%0
Independent1,6012.1%00.0%00.0%0
Total76,552100.0%21100.0%21100.0%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 2018 election (current) and immediately before it (2017). Only ~⅓ of seats were contested in 2018 — most of the bench is unchanged, and the cycle's effect on the overall composition is what shifts.

Current (2018)
Previous (2017)

Wards in this council

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

Race results

Horwich North East · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 36.0% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. −14.0 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 3,733

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1Kevin McKeonLabour Party1,34536.0%−14.0 ptsElected
2Stephen RockLiberal Democrats1,28834.5%
3Joan JohnsonConservative Party88723.8%
4Rod RiescoGreen Party2135.7%

EC ward code E05000661 · Back to ward index

Little Lever and Darcy Lever · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 37.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. −12.5 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 3,334

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1David EvansLabour Party1,24937.5%−12.5 ptsElected
2David MeehanConservative Party1,00030.0%
3Paul RichardsonUK Independence Party (UKIP)92627.8%
4Christine MacphersonLiberal Democrats1594.8%

EC ward code E05000664 · Back to ward index

Astley Bridge · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 42.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. −7.5 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 4,336

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1John WalshConservative Party1,84242.5%−7.5 ptsElected
2Warren FoxLiberal Democrats1,56436.1%
3Zulfi JivaLabour Party93021.4%

EC ward code E05000650 · Back to ward index

Westhoughton North and Chew Moor · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 42.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. −7.4 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 4,300

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1Martyn CoxConservative Party1,83142.6%−7.4 ptsElected
2Bernadette Eckersley-FallonLiberal Democrats1,38632.2%
3Ged CarterLabour Party78418.2%
4Jack SpeightIndependent2385.5%
5Heather RylanceGreen Party611.4%

EC ward code E05000668 · Back to ward index

Breightmet · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 47.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. −2.6 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 3,268

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1Adele WarrenConservative Party1,54947.4%−2.6 ptsElected
2Francesca PlattLabour Party1,27839.1%
3Harry LambUK Independence Party (UKIP)2427.4%
4Dan BoltonGreen Party1384.2%
5Richard BatesLiberal Democrats611.9%

EC ward code E05000652 · Back to ward index

Horwich and Blackrod · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 47.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. −2.4 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 3,505

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1Susan BainesConservative Party1,66847.6%−2.4 ptsElected
2Michael JarvisLabour Party1,43741.0%
3Rebecca ForrestLiberal Democrats2316.6%
4Keith CockerGreen Party1694.8%

EC ward code E05000660 · Back to ward index

Smithills · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 48.9% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. −1.1 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 4,154

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1Doug BagnallLiberal Democrats2,03148.9%−1.1 ptsElected
2Ryan QuickLabour Party1,26030.3%
3Sam RimmerConservative Party75218.1%
4Elizabeth McManusGreen Party1112.7%

EC ward code E05000666 · Back to ward index

Hulton · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 50.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. +0.2 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 3,699

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1Diane ParkinsonConservative Party1,85850.2%+0.2 ptsElected
2Rabiya JivaLabour Party1,45139.2%
3Beverley FletcherUK Independence Party (UKIP)2155.8%
4Chris TaylorGreen Party1072.9%
5Kevin MulliganLiberal Democrats681.8%

EC ward code E05000662 · Back to ward index

Tonge with the Haulgh · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 50.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. +0.4 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 2,734

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1Nick PeelLabour Party1,37950.4%+0.4 ptsElected
2Matthew LittlerConservative Party92833.9%
3Derek WunderleyUK Independence Party (UKIP)2328.5%
4Rosalind HarasiwkaLiberal Democrats1134.1%
5James TomkinsonGreen Party823.0%

EC ward code E05000667 · Back to ward index

Kearsley · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 52.3% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. +2.3 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 3,566

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1Julie PattisonFKF1,86452.3%+2.3 ptsElected
2Stephen LangleyLabour Party88224.7%
3Will PilkingtonUK Independence Party (UKIP)39911.2%
4Kameran FathullaConservative Party2908.1%
5Connor GoodwinLiberal Democrats1313.7%

EC ward code E05000663 · Back to ward index

Westhoughton South · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 53.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. +3.2 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 3,637

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1David WilkinsonLiberal Democrats1,93453.2%+3.2 ptsElected
2Ryan BattersbyLabour Party89924.7%
3Martin TigheConservative Party80422.1%

EC ward code E05000669 · Back to ward index

Harper Green · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 53.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. +3.6 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 3,566

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1Hamid KhurramLabour Party1,91053.6%+3.6 ptsElected
2Lisa WeatherbyFKF89725.2%
3Robert TylerConservative Party47713.4%
4Amy WunderleyUK Independence Party (UKIP)1574.4%
5Matthew BarnesGreen Party631.8%
6Kevin WalshLiberal Democrats621.7%

EC ward code E05000658 · Back to ward index

Farnworth · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 53.9% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. +3.9 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 3,154

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1Maureen FlitcroftFKF1,69953.9%+3.9 ptsElected
2Martin McMulkinLabour Party1,17737.3%
3Jennifer KirkConservative Party1424.5%
4Dave HarveyUK Independence Party (UKIP)922.9%
5David CooperLiberal Democrats441.4%

EC ward code E05000655 · Back to ward index

Bradshaw · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 57.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. +7.1 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 3,415

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1Mudasir DeanConservative Party1,94957.1%+7.1 ptsElected
2Tony ShepherdLabour Party88025.8%
3Eric HylandIndependent2788.1%
4Stephen HowarthLiberal Democrats1735.1%
5Laura DiggleGreen Party1354.0%

EC ward code E05000651 · Back to ward index

Crompton · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 57.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. +7.1 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 3,953

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1Bilkis IsmailLabour Party2,25857.1%+7.1 ptsElected
2Daniel WheatleyConservative Party73718.6%
3Siraj PatelIndependent70617.9%
4Michael LangdonLiberal Democrats2526.4%

EC ward code E05000654 · Back to ward index

Heaton and Lostock · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 66.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. +16.4 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 4,516

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1Anne GallowayConservative Party3,00066.4%+16.4 ptsElected
2John GillattLabour Party1,24727.6%
3Garry VeeversLiberal Democrats2696.0%

EC ward code E05000659 · Back to ward index

Halliwell · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 70.3% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. +20.3 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 3,109

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1Akhtar ZamanLabour Party2,18570.3%+20.3 ptsElected
2Jolyon CoombsConservative Party41813.4%
3John FalchLiberal Democrats1203.9%
4Ian McHughGreen Party1183.8%
5Martin McLoughlinIndependent1143.7%
6Sarfraz NawazIndependent832.7%
7Anthony MasseyIndependent712.3%

EC ward code E05000657 · Back to ward index

Bromley Cross · 2-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner Voter-share estimate of the lowest-vote elected candidate. Comparable to the proportional quota. The raw vote share would be ~2× smaller. 56.5% Proportional quota 33.3% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. +23.2 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 2 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 3,996

This is a 2-seat ward under bloc vote — each voter could cast up to 2 votes, so summing candidate votes overcounts voters by ~2×. We show share of votes (matches the council's published figure) and share of voters (est.) (raw share × 2, the figure comparable to the proportional quota). Why two columns →

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Share of voters (est.) Estimated share of voters who supported this candidate, comparable across single- and multi-seat wards. Each voter could cast up to 2 votes, so we approximate ballots as total votes ÷ 2. This is the figure compared against the proportional quota.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1David GreenhalghConservative Party2,92836.6%73.3%+39.9 ptsElected
2Nadim MuslimConservative Party2,25728.2%56.5%+23.2 ptsElected
3Steve SuttonLabour Party1,02312.8%25.6%
4Deb WhenlockLabour Party91011.4%22.8%
5Liz SpencerGreen Party3744.7%9.4%
6Elliott Bermudez-GaltonLiberal Democrats3033.8%7.6%
7David WalshLiberal Democrats1962.5%4.9%

EC ward code E05000653 · Back to ward index

Rumworth · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 75.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. +25.7 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 3,396

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1Ismail IbrahimLabour Party2,57075.7%+25.7 ptsElected
2Hafiz ButtConservative Party37911.2%
3Alan JohnsonGreen Party2517.4%
4Damien WalshIndependent1113.3%
5Duncan MacphersonLiberal Democrats852.5%

EC ward code E05000665 · Back to ward index

Great Lever · single-seat

Marginal winner Winning candidate's share of valid ballots. 76.0% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota Marginal winner's share minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = below; positive = above. +26.0 pts Valid ballots (est.) Estimated voters: total votes ÷ 1 seats. Source data does not publish a ballot count for this cycle. 3,186

RankCandidatePartyVotesShare of votes Candidate votes ÷ total votes cast in this ward. Matches the share the council publishes.Below quota Each elected candidate's share of valid ballots minus the proportional quota for this race. Negative = won the seat below the quota; positive = cleared it.Elected
1Mohammed AyubLabour Party2,42276.0%+26.0 ptsElected
2Mohammed WaqasConservative Party38912.2%
3David FigginsGreen Party2327.3%
4Francine GodfreyLiberal Democrats1434.5%

EC ward code E05000656 · Back to ward index