← Harlow (all cycles) · 7 May 2026 cohort

Harlow 2026

Local elections held 7 May 2026.

11 ward races
11 seats
3 elected below the proportional quota
27.3% 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 11 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 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
Conservative Party15,21356.7%11100.0%763.6%+4
Reform UK5,40820.2%00.0%218.2%-2
Labour Party3,54813.2%00.0%19.1%-1
Green Party2,5399.5%00.0%19.1%-1
Liberal Democrats410.2%00.0%00.0%0
Independent320.1%00.0%00.0%0
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition290.1%00.0%00.0%0
Total26,810100.0%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

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.

Race results

Little Parndon and Town Centre · single-seat

Marginal winner 45.8% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −4.2 pts Valid ballots 1,890

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareBelow quotaElected
1Simon Nicholas CarterConservative Party86645.8%−4.2 ptsElected
2Lanie ShearsLabour Party44723.7%
3Wendy-Jane HardingReform UK34318.1%
4Madison May BakerGreen Party23412.4%

Electorate 5,246 · Ballots cast 1,902 · Invalid 12 · EC ward code local.harlow.little-parndon-town-centre.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Passmores · single-seat

Marginal winner 46.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −3.5 pts Valid ballots 2,070

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareBelow quotaElected
1Nidhi HindochaConservative Party96246.5%−3.5 ptsElected
2Shirley Ann McGeeReform UK44221.4%
3Jake David Adam ShepherdLabour Party42420.5%
4Stephanie Angela MarshGreen Party24211.7%

Electorate 5,432 · Ballots cast 2,078 · Invalid 8 · EC ward code local.harlow.passmores.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Netteswell · single-seat

Marginal winner 49.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −0.5 pts Valid ballots 2,079

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareBelow quotaElected
1Colleen Lee MorrisonConservative Party1,02949.5%−0.5 ptsElected
2Cindy FryReform UK41419.9%
3Stefan Peter Mullard-ToalLabour Party37217.9%
4Charlie HancockGreen Party22310.7%
5Lesley Anne RideoutLiberal Democrats412.0%

Electorate 5,993 · Ballots cast 2,097 · Invalid 18 · EC ward code local.harlow.netteswell.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Mark Hall · single-seat

Marginal winner 50.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +0.5 pts Valid ballots 2,310

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareBelow quotaElected
1John Matthew PurseConservative Party1,16750.5%+0.5 ptsElected
2Mark Robert Edward GoughReform UK45619.7%
3Christine Anne GallacherLabour Party35715.5%
4Julie TaylorGreen Party33014.3%

Electorate 5,746 · Ballots cast 2,319 · Invalid 9 · EC ward code local.harlow.mark-hall.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Bush Fair · single-seat

Marginal winner 52.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +2.2 pts Valid ballots 2,541

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareBelow quotaElected
1Geoff LongsterConservative Party1,32752.2%+2.2 ptsElected
2Dan LongReform UK59623.5%
3Rosanna Marian Daisy JacksonLabour Party36814.5%
4David Steven MargettsGreen Party2509.8%

Electorate 6,563 · Ballots cast 2,560 · Invalid 19 · EC ward code local.harlow.bush-fair.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Church Langley South and Potter Street · single-seat

Marginal winner 58.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +8.7 pts Valid ballots 2,863

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareBelow quotaElected
1James LeppardConservative Party1,68258.7%+8.7 ptsElected
2Amanda Susan Harris MaisonReform UK65022.7%
3Harry TennisonLabour Party2649.2%
4Paul Ian KingGreen Party2358.2%
5Gary RobertsIndependent321.1%

Electorate 6,808 · Ballots cast 2,889 · Invalid 26 · EC ward code local.harlow.church-langley-south-potter-street.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Latton Bush and Stewards · single-seat

Marginal winner 59.8% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +9.8 pts Valid ballots 2,682

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareBelow quotaElected
1John SteerConservative Party1,60459.8%+9.8 ptsElected
2Stephen George Martin ThompsonReform UK49718.5%
3Simon John VincentLabour Party36213.5%
4Howard Charles BeaumontGreen Party2198.2%

Electorate 6,941 · Ballots cast 2,689 · Invalid 7 · EC ward code local.harlow.latton-bush-stewards.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Old Harlow · single-seat

Marginal winner 61.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +11.2 pts Valid ballots 2,866

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareBelow quotaElected
1Sue Jeanette LivingsConservative Party1,75561.2%+11.2 ptsElected
2Eileen Margaret McManusReform UK60821.2%
3Liam KerriganLabour Party2478.6%
4Jennifer SteadmanGreen Party2408.4%
5Paul LenihanTrade Unionist and Socialist Coalition160.6%

Electorate 6,430 · Ballots cast 2,876 · Invalid 10 · EC ward code local.harlow.old-harlow.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Sumners and Kingsmoor · single-seat

Marginal winner 62.0% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +12.0 pts Valid ballots 2,532

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareBelow quotaElected
1Emma Louise Marie GhaffariConservative Party1,57162.0%+12.0 ptsElected
2Jamie Paul Terence WinslowReform UK47118.6%
3Charlie CochraneLabour Party26710.5%
4Julie BullGreen Party2108.3%
5Andrew James HammondTrade Unionist and Socialist Coalition130.5%

Electorate 6,174 · Ballots cast 2,537 · Invalid 5 · EC ward code local.harlow.sumners-kingsmoor.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Great Parndon · single-seat

Marginal winner 65.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +15.2 pts Valid ballots 2,477

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareBelow quotaElected
1Matthew Richard SaggersConservative Party1,61465.2%+15.2 ptsElected
2Peter John BussReform UK44417.9%
3Anita SchultschikLabour Party2429.8%
4Neil John CrouchGreen Party1777.1%

Electorate 5,604 · Ballots cast 2,485 · Invalid 8 · EC ward code local.harlow.great-parndon.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Church Langley North and Newhall · single-seat

Marginal winner 65.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +15.4 pts Valid ballots 2,500

RankCandidatePartyVotesShareBelow quotaElected
1Michael Edward HardwareConservative Party1,63665.4%+15.4 ptsElected
2Tracy Ann CranfieldReform UK48719.5%
3Jeff MaceLabour Party1987.9%
4Bengi WhiteGreen Party1797.2%

Electorate 5,657 · Ballots cast 2,506 · Invalid 6 · EC ward code local.harlow.church-langley-north-newhall.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index