← East Devon (all cycles) · 1 May 2025 cohort

East Devon 2025

Local elections held 1 May 2025.

9 ward races
11 seats
10 elected below the proportional quota
90.9% 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 that would be needed to be guaranteed that 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 gap as points under par — the editorial indictment. Above-par results are just majority mandates 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 9 wards in this cycle, parties received the vote totals below. The proportional column shows what each party would have won if the 11 seats had been allocated to those vote totals in proportion (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 in this council, negative are parties it under-represented.

PartyVotesVote %Seats won% of seatsProportional seatsProportional %Δ
Reform UK15,44326.8%218.2%327.3%-1
Liberal Democrats14,84725.7%545.5%327.3%+2
Conservative and Unionist Party13,68923.7%19.1%327.3%-2
Independent6,85711.9%218.2%19.1%+1
Green Party4,1207.1%19.1%19.1%0
Labour Party1,9873.4%00.0%00.0%0
Labour and Co-operative Party7071.2%00.0%00.0%0
Heritage Party570.1%00.0%00.0%0
Total57,707100.0%11100.0%11100.0%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

Wards in this council

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

Race results

Whimple & Blackdown · single-seat

Marginal winner 31.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +18.9 pts below quota Valid ballots 4,350

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareElected
1Cathy ConnorLiberal Democrats1,35231.1%Elected
2David WilleyReform UK1,32530.5%
3Iain ChubbConservative and Unionist Party1,25428.8%
4Steve OwenGreen Party2676.1%
5Johann MalawanaLabour Party1303.0%
6Andre SabineHeritage Party220.5%

Electorate 11,346 · Ballots cast 4,357 · Invalid 7 · EC ward code 57343 · Back to ward index

Exmouth & Budleigh Salterton Coastal · single-seat

Marginal winner 31.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +18.3 pts below quota Valid ballots 4,784

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareElected
1Nick HookwayLiberal Democrats1,51831.7%Elected
2Henry Lloyd RiddellConservative and Unionist Party1,39429.1%
3Paul ThomasReform UK1,16924.4%
4James Declan McIntoshLabour Party3657.6%
5Mike RosserGreen Party3387.1%

Electorate 12,635 · Ballots cast 4,793 · Invalid 9 · EC ward code 57338 · Back to ward index

Feniton & Honiton · single-seat

Marginal winner 36.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +13.9 pts below quota Valid ballots 4,091

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareElected
1Richard JefferiesLiberal Democrats1,47836.1%Elected
2Barry AlcockReform UK1,12127.4%
3Phil TwissConservative and Unionist Party1,07826.4%
4Jane CollinsGreen Party1423.5%
5Peter Hamilton FaithfullIndependent1002.4%
6Steve CasemoreLabour Party882.2%
7Jo FotheringhamIndependent842.1%

Electorate 12,223 · Ballots cast 4,101 · Invalid 10 · EC ward code 57339 · Back to ward index

Axminster · single-seat

Marginal winner 37.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +12.4 pts below quota Valid ballots 3,707

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareElected
1Paul Graham HaywardIndependent1,39337.6%Elected
2Philip James SalwayReform UK99326.8%
3Jenny BrownConservative and Unionist Party60016.2%
4Sue RobinsonLiberal Democrats42411.4%
5Matthew Denis ByrneGreen Party1604.3%
6Honey Barlow MarshallLabour and Co-operative Party1373.7%

Electorate 10,397 · Ballots cast 3,712 · Invalid 5 · EC ward code 57335 · Back to ward index

Seaton & Colyton · single-seat

Marginal winner 40.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +9.3 pts below quota Valid ballots 4,948

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareElected
1Paul ArnottLiberal Democrats2,01540.7%Elected
2Jim WalshReform UK1,30826.4%
3Ben InghamConservative and Unionist Party88117.8%
4John David HeathIndependent63812.9%
5Paul Graeme KnottLabour Party1062.1%

Electorate 12,309 · Ballots cast 4,966 · Invalid 18 · EC ward code 57341 · Back to ward index

Sidmouth · single-seat

Marginal winner 43.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +6.6 pts below quota Valid ballots 5,511

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareElected
1Denise BickleyLiberal Democrats2,39243.4%Elected
2Stuart HughesConservative and Unionist Party1,91134.7%
3Basil Thomas HerbertReform UK1,09319.8%
4Suzanne Mary BullockLabour Party1152.1%

Electorate 12,325 · Ballots cast 5,532 · Invalid 21 · EC ward code 57342 · Back to ward index

Exmouth · 2-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 26.9% Proportional quota 33.3% Difference +6.4 pts below quota Valid ballots 8,619

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareElected
1Helen BrownReform UK2,60130.2%Elected
2Jeff TrailConservative and Unionist Party2,32026.9%Elected
3Si FermorReform UK2,29926.7%
4Richard ScottConservative and Unionist Party2,17525.2%
5Matt HallLiberal Democrats2,10824.5%
6Daniel WilsonIndependent1,64519.1%
7Fran McElhoneLiberal Democrats1,42616.5%
8Lou DolicznyGreen Party1,07012.4%
9Hilary Anne AcklandLabour and Co-operative Party5706.6%
10Ben Anthony HawkesLabour Party5226.1%

Electorate 26,649 · Ballots cast 8,626 · Invalid 7 · EC ward code 57337 · Back to ward index

Broadclyst · 2-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 27.7% Proportional quota 33.3% Difference +5.6 pts below quota Valid ballots 4,629

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareElected
1Henry GentGreen Party1,47531.9%Elected
2Nat VanstoneReform UK1,28327.7%Elected
3Fernando Morales GundinReform UK1,26827.4%
4Eleanor RylanceLiberal Democrats1,17925.5%
5Brian Arthur BaileyConservative and Unionist Party83418.0%
6Andrea GloverLiberal Democrats75816.4%
7Cynthia ThompsonConservative and Unionist Party75616.3%
8Kate JagoGreen Party66814.4%
9Molly Jane HolmesLabour Party3096.7%
10Kian HealyLabour Party2826.1%
11Lisa Kay GoudieHeritage Party350.8%

Electorate 17,363 · Ballots cast 4,632 · Invalid 3 · EC ward code 57336 · Back to ward index

Otter Valley · single-seat

Marginal winner 63.3% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −13.3 pts Valid ballots 4,733

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareElected
1Jess BaileyIndependent2,99763.3%Elected
2Janice AherneReform UK98320.8%
3Paul Richard CarterConservative and Unionist Party48610.3%
4Beth CollinsLiberal Democrats1974.2%
5Rachel Helen SuttonLabour Party701.5%

Electorate 11,804 · Ballots cast 4,738 · Invalid 5 · EC ward code 57340 · Back to ward index