← Bolton (all cycles) · 7 May 2026 cohort

Bolton 2026

Local elections held 7 May 2026.

20 ward races

20 seats

20 elected below the proportional quota

100.0% 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 20 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	28,105	32.6%	9	45.0%	7	35.0%	+2
Labour Party	16,844	19.5%	2	10.0%	4	20.0%	-2
Green Party	15,210	17.6%	3	15.0%	4	20.0%	-1
Conservative Party	12,433	14.4%	3	15.0%	3	15.0%	0
Liberal Democrats	6,387	7.4%	1	5.0%	1	5.0%	0
Horwich & Blackrod First Independents	3,680	4.3%	2	10.0%	1	5.0%	+1
Farnworth and Kearsley First Party	2,753	3.2%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Independent	679	0.8%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Westhoughton First Independents	100	0.1%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Advance UK	71	0.1%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	40	0.0%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Total	86,302	100.0%	20	100.0%	20	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.

Farnworth North · 1 seat · won at 29.0% · −21.0 pts below quota
Astley Bridge · 1 seat · won at 32.7% · −17.3 pts below quota
Queens Park and Central · 1 seat · won at 35.1% · −14.9 pts below quota
Bromley Cross · 1 seat · won at 36.3% · −13.7 pts below quota
Bradshaw · 1 seat · won at 37.4% · −12.6 pts below quota
Westhoughton South · 1 seat · won at 37.5% · −12.5 pts below quota
Smithills · 1 seat · won at 37.6% · −12.4 pts below quota
Heaton, Lostock and Chew Moor · 1 seat · won at 37.6% · −12.4 pts below quota
Westhoughton North and Hunger Hill · 1 seat · won at 38.2% · −11.8 pts below quota
Horwich North · 1 seat · won at 39.3% · −10.7 pts below quota
Farnworth South · 1 seat · won at 41.3% · −8.7 pts below quota
Halliwell · 1 seat · won at 41.8% · −8.2 pts below quota
Hulton · 1 seat · won at 43.1% · −6.9 pts below quota
Horwich South and Blackrod · 1 seat · won at 44.3% · −5.7 pts below quota
Great Lever · 1 seat · won at 45.8% · −4.2 pts below quota
Kearsley · 1 seat · won at 46.4% · −3.6 pts below quota
Tonge with the Haulgh · 1 seat · won at 47.1% · −2.9 pts below quota
Breightmet · 1 seat · won at 47.3% · −2.7 pts below quota
Little Lever and Darcy Lever · 1 seat · won at 49.6% · −0.4 pts below quota
Rumworth · 1 seat · won at 49.7% · −0.3 pts below quota

Race results

Farnworth North · single-seat

Marginal winner 29.0% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −21.0 pts Valid ballots 3,903

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Nadeem Ayub	Labour Party	1,131	29.0%	−21.0 pts	Elected
2	Rees Gibbon	Reform UK	1,109	28.4%	—
3	Philip Kochitty	Green Party	648	16.6%	—
4	Sandra Baker	Farnworth and Kearsley First Party	642	16.4%	—
5	Champak Mistry	Independent	235	6.0%	—
6	Ryan Cain	Conservative Party	103	2.6%	—
7	Andrew John Tonge	Liberal Democrats	35	0.9%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 3,903 · EC ward code local.bolton.farnworth-north.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Astley Bridge · single-seat

Marginal winner 32.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −17.3 pts Valid ballots 4,996

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Ryan Bailey	Reform UK	1,635	32.7%	−17.3 pts	Elected
2	John Walsh	Conservative Party	1,248	25.0%	—
3	Lee Thorne	Green Party	1,147	23.0%	—
4	Phil Warren	Labour Party	807	16.2%	—
5	Sarita Chohan	Liberal Democrats	106	2.1%	—
6	Peter Brett Hopkinson	Independent	53	1.1%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 4,996 · EC ward code local.bolton.astley-bridge.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Queens Park and Central · single-seat

Marginal winner 35.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −14.9 pts Valid ballots 3,109

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Zan Arif	Green Party	1,090	35.1%	−14.9 pts	Elected
2	Richard Silvester	Labour Party	1,044	33.6%	—
3	Nimesh Vara	Reform UK	609	19.6%	—
4	Richard Elliott	Conservative Party	206	6.6%	—
5	Rebekah Susan Mary Fairhurst	Liberal Democrats	160	5.1%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 3,109 · EC ward code local.bolton.queens-park-central.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Bromley Cross · single-seat

Marginal winner 36.3% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −13.7 pts Valid ballots 4,942

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Charlotte Anne Cadden	Conservative Party	1,794	36.3%	−13.7 pts	Elected
2	Jayden Cain	Reform UK	1,669	33.8%	—
3	Joe Burton	Green Party	718	14.5%	—
4	Bill Lovat	Labour Party	597	12.1%	—
5	Jim Priest	Liberal Democrats	164	3.3%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 4,942 · EC ward code local.bolton.bromley-cross.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Bradshaw · single-seat

Marginal winner 37.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −12.6 pts Valid ballots 4,811

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Les Webb	Conservative Party	1,801	37.4%	−12.6 pts	Elected
2	Sandra Harris	Reform UK	1,712	35.6%	—
3	Peter Dennis Firth	Labour Party	745	15.5%	—
4	Jennifer Entwistle	Green Party	423	8.8%	—
5	Christine Anne Strawbridge	Liberal Democrats	130	2.7%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 4,811 · EC ward code local.bolton.bradshaw.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Westhoughton South · single-seat

Marginal winner 37.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −12.5 pts Valid ballots 4,388

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Glen Clarke	Reform UK	1,644	37.5%	−12.5 pts	Elected
2	David Wilkinson	Liberal Democrats	1,550	35.3%	—
3	Christina Ruth Saunders	Labour Party	455	10.4%	—
4	Simon Penhallow	Green Party	306	7.0%	—
5	Colin Higson	Conservative Party	276	6.3%	—
6	Jack Speight	Westhoughton First Independents	100	2.3%	—
7	Richard Adam Bates	Independent	57	1.3%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 4,388 · EC ward code local.bolton.westhoughton-south.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Smithills · single-seat

Marginal winner 37.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −12.4 pts Valid ballots 4,558

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Sue Priest	Liberal Democrats	1,713	37.6%	−12.4 pts	Elected
2	Simon Roscoe	Reform UK	1,565	34.3%	—
3	Elora Hunt	Green Party	563	12.4%	—
4	Liam O'Callaghan	Labour Party	533	11.7%	—
5	Raymond Ndokwo	Conservative Party	184	4.0%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 4,558 · EC ward code local.bolton.smithills.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Heaton, Lostock and Chew Moor · single-seat

Marginal winner 37.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −12.4 pts Valid ballots 5,610

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Anne Barbara Galloway	Conservative Party	2,112	37.6%	−12.4 pts	Elected
2	Hetan Ajwani	Reform UK	1,374	24.5%	—
3	Salim Quereshi	Labour Party	1,065	19.0%	—
4	Alexander James Rostron	Green Party	760	13.5%	—
5	Paul Martin	Liberal Democrats	299	5.3%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 5,610 · EC ward code local.bolton.heaton-lostock-chew-moor.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Westhoughton North and Hunger Hill · single-seat

Marginal winner 38.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −11.8 pts Valid ballots 4,658

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	David Lewis	Reform UK	1,781	38.2%	−11.8 pts	Elected
2	Neil Maher	Liberal Democrats	1,071	23.0%	—
3	Martin Tighe	Conservative Party	964	20.7%	—
4	Louise Warburton	Green Party	439	9.4%	—
5	Paul Leslie Saunders	Labour Party	403	8.7%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 4,658 · EC ward code local.bolton.westhoughton-north-hunger-hill.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Horwich North · single-seat

Marginal winner 39.3% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −10.7 pts Valid ballots 4,852

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Andrea Jane Finney	Horwich & Blackrod First Independents	1,905	39.3%	−10.7 pts	Elected
2	Stephen Martindale	Reform UK	1,243	25.6%	—
3	Helena Carman	Green Party	585	12.1%	—
4	Graham Dawson	Labour Party	536	11.0%	—
5	Carol Forshaw	Conservative Party	257	5.3%	—
6	Charlotte Chloe Minnie Moncado-Sears	Independent	252	5.2%	—
7	Scott Turner-Preece	Liberal Democrats	74	1.5%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 4,852 · EC ward code local.bolton.horwich-north.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Farnworth South · single-seat

Marginal winner 41.3% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −8.7 pts Valid ballots 2,956

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Julie Pattison	Reform UK	1,220	41.3%	−8.7 pts	Elected
2	Paul Sanders	Farnworth and Kearsley First Party	956	32.3%	—
3	Wesley McArdle	Labour Party	343	11.6%	—
4	David Wright	Green Party	338	11.4%	—
5	Kubbar Alom	Conservative Party	59	2.0%	—
6	Jennifer Louise Tonge	Liberal Democrats	40	1.4%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 2,956 · EC ward code local.bolton.farnworth-south.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Halliwell · single-seat

Marginal winner 41.8% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −8.2 pts Valid ballots 4,191

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Baggy Khan	Green Party	1,752	41.8%	−8.2 pts	Elected
2	Safwaan Patel	Labour Party	1,444	34.5%	—
3	Philip Booth	Reform UK	744	17.8%	—
4	Elizabeth Anne Elliott	Conservative Party	136	3.2%	—
5	Caroline Anne Turner-Preece	Liberal Democrats	115	2.7%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 4,191 · EC ward code local.bolton.halliwell.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Hulton · single-seat

Marginal winner 43.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −6.9 pts Valid ballots 4,495

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Derek Bullock	Reform UK	1,939	43.1%	−6.9 pts	Elected
2	Emma Julia Schofield	Labour Party	979	21.8%	—
3	Alan Johnson	Green Party	947	21.1%	—
4	Shafi Patel	Conservative Party	470	10.5%	—
5	Linda Christine Maher	Liberal Democrats	160	3.6%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 4,495 · EC ward code local.bolton.hulton.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Horwich South and Blackrod · single-seat

Marginal winner 44.3% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −5.7 pts Valid ballots 4,009

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Peter Wright	Horwich & Blackrod First Independents	1,775	44.3%	−5.7 pts	Elected
2	Matthew Kyle	Reform UK	1,060	26.4%	—
3	Joshua Johnathan Callum Cook	Labour Party	378	9.4%	—
4	Michael Jarvis	Green Party	375	9.4%	—
5	Paul Norris	Conservative Party	293	7.3%	—
6	John William Strawbridge	Liberal Democrats	79	2.0%	—
7	Antony Moncado-Sears	Independent	49	1.2%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 4,009 · EC ward code local.bolton.horwich-south-blackrod.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Great Lever · single-seat

Marginal winner 45.8% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −4.2 pts Valid ballots 4,187

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Mohammed Iqbal	Labour Party	1,918	45.8%	−4.2 pts	Elected
2	Mahboob Alom	Green Party	1,239	29.6%	—
3	Gus Heyes	Reform UK	755	18.0%	—
4	Yusuf Butt	Conservative Party	159	3.8%	—
5	Rishikesh Ratilal Chohan	Liberal Democrats	116	2.8%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 4,187 · EC ward code local.bolton.great-lever.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Kearsley · single-seat

Marginal winner 46.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −3.6 pts Valid ballots 3,373

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Roger Pedley	Reform UK	1,564	46.4%	−3.6 pts	Elected
2	Tracey Wilkinson	Farnworth and Kearsley First Party	1,155	34.2%	—
3	George Butler	Labour Party	255	7.6%	—
4	Tony Peers	Green Party	176	5.2%	—
5	Glenys Ratcliffe	Conservative Party	103	3.1%	—
6	Jack Tebay	Advance UK	71	2.1%	—
7	David Charles Tyas Cooper	Liberal Democrats	49	1.5%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 3,373 · EC ward code local.bolton.kearsley.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Tonge with the Haulgh · single-seat

Marginal winner 47.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −2.9 pts Valid ballots 4,435

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Trevor Jones	Reform UK	2,089	47.1%	−2.9 pts	Elected
2	Nick Peel	Labour Party	1,329	30.0%	—
3	Gaynor Margaret Richards	Green Party	600	13.5%	—
4	Hafiz Tahir-Mahmood Butt	Conservative Party	251	5.7%	—
5	Rebecca Forrest	Liberal Democrats	166	3.7%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 4,435 · EC ward code local.bolton.tonge-with-the-haulgh.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Breightmet · single-seat

Marginal winner 47.3% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −2.7 pts Valid ballots 3,995

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Mike Tucker	Reform UK	1,890	47.3%	−2.7 pts	Elected
2	Adele Kay Warren	Conservative Party	974	24.4%	—
3	Kate Elizabeth Taylor	Labour Party	605	15.1%	—
4	Gillian Fernley	Green Party	413	10.3%	—
5	Derek John Gradwell	Liberal Democrats	80	2.0%	—
6	Wendy Ann Hopkinson	Independent	33	0.8%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 3,995 · EC ward code local.bolton.breightmet.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Little Lever and Darcy Lever · single-seat

Marginal winner 49.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −0.4 pts Valid ballots 4,110

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Derek Wunderley	Reform UK	2,040	49.6%	−0.4 pts	Elected
2	David Michael Meehan	Conservative Party	924	22.5%	—
3	Rach Gilmour	Labour Party	618	15.0%	—
4	Ben Dolata	Green Party	345	8.4%	—
5	Susan Mary Martin	Liberal Democrats	143	3.5%	—
6	Fin Cozens-Stott	Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	40	1.0%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 4,110 · EC ward code local.bolton.little-lever-darcy-lever.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Rumworth · single-seat

Marginal winner 49.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −0.3 pts Valid ballots 4,724

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Ismail Ibrahim	Green Party	2,346	49.7%	−0.3 pts	Elected
2	Sajid Ali	Labour Party	1,659	35.1%	—
3	Gansham Hiriji Patel	Reform UK	463	9.8%	—
4	Gillian Elizabeth Wroe	Liberal Democrats	137	2.9%	—
5	Shahjahan Shah	Conservative Party	119	2.5%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 4,724 · EC ward code local.bolton.rumworth.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index