← Rochdale (all cycles) · 7 May 2026 cohort

Rochdale 2026

Local elections held 7 May 2026.

20 ward races

20 seats

19 elected below the proportional quota

95.0% 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	23,103	35.0%	13	65.0%	8	40.0%	+5
Labour Party	16,903	25.6%	2	10.0%	6	30.0%	-4
Green Party	7,208	10.9%	0	0.0%	2	10.0%	-2
Conservative Party	7,178	10.9%	2	10.0%	2	10.0%	0
Workers Party of Britain	5,332	8.1%	2	10.0%	1	5.0%	+1
Liberal Democrats	5,090	7.7%	1	5.0%	1	5.0%	0
Middleton Independents Party	936	1.4%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Independent	195	0.3%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Advance UK	52	0.1%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Total	65,997	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.

Smallbridge and Firgrove · 1 seat · won at 29.9% · −20.1 pts below quota
Spotland and Falinge · 1 seat · won at 30.5% · −19.5 pts below quota
Kingsway · 1 seat · won at 34.4% · −15.6 pts below quota
Bamford · 1 seat · won at 34.5% · −15.5 pts below quota
Healey · 1 seat · won at 37.5% · −12.5 pts below quota
Milnrow and Newhey · 1 seat · won at 39.1% · −10.9 pts below quota
West Middleton · 1 seat · won at 39.9% · −10.1 pts below quota
Wardle, Shore and West Littleborough · 1 seat · won at 40.0% · −10.0 pts below quota
East Middleton · 1 seat · won at 40.1% · −9.9 pts below quota
Littleborough Lakeside · 1 seat · won at 40.7% · −9.3 pts below quota
Norden · 1 seat · won at 42.2% · −7.8 pts below quota
Balderstone and Kirkholt · 1 seat · won at 42.4% · −7.6 pts below quota
South Middleton · 1 seat · won at 44.2% · −5.8 pts below quota
Castleton · 1 seat · won at 44.7% · −5.3 pts below quota
North Middleton · 1 seat · won at 44.8% · −5.2 pts below quota
Central Rochdale · 1 seat · won at 47.3% · −2.7 pts below quota
Hopwood Hall · 1 seat · won at 47.9% · −2.1 pts below quota
West Heywood · 1 seat · won at 49.6% · −0.4 pts below quota
Milkstone and Deeplish · 1 seat · won at 49.7% · −0.3 pts below quota
North Heywood · 1 seat · won at 53.8% · above quota

Race results

Smallbridge and Firgrove · single-seat

Marginal winner 29.9% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −20.1 pts Valid ballots 3,068

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Mohammed Khizer	Liberal Democrats	917	29.9%	−20.1 pts	Elected
2	Cole Brierley	Reform UK	850	27.7%	—
3	Aftab Hussain	Labour Party	683	22.3%	—
4	Feruz Ali	Green Party	332	10.8%	—
5	Billy Howarth	Independent	160	5.2%	—
6	Charlotte Jayne Taylor	Conservative Party	126	4.1%	—

Electorate 8,694 · Ballots cast 3,081 · Invalid 13 · EC ward code local.rochdale.smallbridge-firgrove.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Spotland and Falinge · single-seat

Marginal winner 30.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −19.5 pts Valid ballots 3,343

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Carl Faulkner	Reform UK	1,018	30.5%	−19.5 pts	Elected
2	Iram Faisal	Labour Party	1,009	30.2%	—
3	Rabina Asghar	Liberal Democrats	689	20.6%	—
4	Mick Coats	Green Party	307	9.2%	—
5	Benita Blessing	Workers Party of Britain	151	4.5%	—
6	Ann Marie Conway	Conservative Party	134	4.0%	—
7	Stefan Cholenka	Independent	35	1.0%	—

Electorate 8,567 · Ballots cast 3,354 · Invalid 11 · EC ward code local.rochdale.spotland-falinge.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Kingsway · single-seat

Marginal winner 34.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −15.6 pts Valid ballots 3,421

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Shakil Ahmed	Labour Party	1,176	34.4%	−15.6 pts	Elected
2	Mohammed Saleem	Workers Party of Britain	820	24.0%	—
3	Denise Harrison	Reform UK	812	23.7%	—
4	Mark Hollinrake	Green Party	364	10.6%	—
5	Steven John Edgar	Conservative Party	132	3.9%	—
6	Jenny Kelly	Liberal Democrats	117	3.4%	—

Electorate 8,472 · Ballots cast 3,442 · Invalid 21 · EC ward code local.rochdale.kingsway.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Bamford · single-seat

Marginal winner 34.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −15.5 pts Valid ballots 3,564

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Angela Jennifer Smith	Conservative Party	1,230	34.5%	−15.5 pts	Elected
2	Christopher Birchenough	Reform UK	1,009	28.3%	—
3	George Hilton	Green Party	566	15.9%	—
4	Duncan Hannant	Labour Party	466	13.1%	—
5	Bahadur Kamran	Workers Party of Britain	293	8.2%	—

Electorate 8,245 · Ballots cast 3,576 · Invalid 12 · EC ward code local.rochdale.bamford.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Healey · single-seat

Marginal winner 37.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −12.5 pts Valid ballots 3,468

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Mark Stephens	Reform UK	1,300	37.5%	−12.5 pts	Elected
2	Shaun O'Neill	Labour Party	772	22.3%	—
3	Andy Lord	Liberal Democrats	528	15.2%	—
4	Umar Ali	Green Party	441	12.7%	—
5	Raja Miah	Workers Party of Britain	237	6.8%	—
6	Robert James McLean	Conservative Party	190	5.5%	—

Electorate 8,035 · Ballots cast 3,478 · Invalid 10 · EC ward code local.rochdale.healey.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Milnrow and Newhey · single-seat

Marginal winner 39.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −10.9 pts Valid ballots 3,583

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Anthony Gilbert	Reform UK	1,400	39.1%	−10.9 pts	Elected
2	Irene Davidson	Liberal Democrats	1,306	36.4%	—
3	Avis Kay Gilmore	Labour Party	519	14.5%	—
4	Jack Freddie Gower	Green Party	217	6.1%	—
5	Milton Danczuk	Conservative Party	128	3.6%	—
6	Mohammed Shafiq	Workers Party of Britain	13	0.4%	—

Electorate 8,528 · Ballots cast 3,589 · Invalid 6 · EC ward code local.rochdale.milnrow-newhey.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

West Middleton · single-seat

Marginal winner 39.9% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −10.1 pts Valid ballots 2,344

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Trevor Taylor	Reform UK	936	39.9%	−10.1 pts	Elected
2	Phil Burke	Labour Party	791	33.7%	—
3	Caitlin Furlong	Green Party	388	16.6%	—
4	Matthew Steven Roughsedge	Conservative Party	229	9.8%	—

Electorate 7,846 · Ballots cast 2,360 · Invalid 16 · EC ward code local.rochdale.west-middleton.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Wardle, Shore and West Littleborough · single-seat

Marginal winner 40.0% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −10.0 pts Valid ballots 3,662

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Philip Barrett	Reform UK	1,466	40.0%	−10.0 pts	Elected
2	Matthew Frederick Hargreaves	Conservative Party	1,209	33.0%	—
3	Joshua James McCarron	Labour Party	451	12.3%	—
4	Adam Mir	Green Party	328	9.0%	—
5	Kim Ho	Liberal Democrats	169	4.6%	—
6	Laura Pugh	Workers Party of Britain	39	1.1%	—

Electorate 8,358 · Ballots cast 3,667 · Invalid 5 · EC ward code local.rochdale.wardle-shore-west-littleborough.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

East Middleton · single-seat

Marginal winner 40.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −9.9 pts Valid ballots 3,281

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Gina Jacques	Labour Party	1,315	40.1%	−9.9 pts	Elected
2	Mervyn Simpson	Reform UK	1,215	37.0%	—
3	Paul Beswick	Middleton Independents Party	337	10.3%	—
4	Clare Wood	Green Party	265	8.1%	—
5	Michael Smith	Conservative Party	149	4.5%	—

Electorate 8,549 · Ballots cast 3,287 · Invalid 6 · EC ward code local.rochdale.east-middleton.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Littleborough Lakeside · single-seat

Marginal winner 40.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −9.3 pts Valid ballots 3,414

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Victoria Howard	Reform UK	1,391	40.7%	−9.3 pts	Elected
2	Janet Emsley	Labour Party	1,170	34.3%	—
3	Ian Jackson	Conservative Party	454	13.3%	—
4	Paul Michael Wooten	Green Party	274	8.0%	—
5	Emma Jane Griffin	Liberal Democrats	125	3.7%	—

Electorate 7,414 · Ballots cast 3,424 · Invalid 10 · EC ward code local.rochdale.littleborough-lakeside.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Norden · single-seat

Marginal winner 42.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −7.8 pts Valid ballots 3,935

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Paul Ellison	Conservative Party	1,662	42.2%	−7.8 pts	Elected
2	Kevin Lane	Reform UK	1,193	30.3%	—
3	Sue Moore-Holmes	Labour Party	495	12.6%	—
4	Sarah Louise Croke	Green Party	431	11.0%	—
5	Stephanie Robertson	Liberal Democrats	154	3.9%	—

Electorate 8,123 · Ballots cast 3,938 · Invalid 3 · EC ward code local.rochdale.norden.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Balderstone and Kirkholt · single-seat

Marginal winner 42.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −7.6 pts Valid ballots 2,840

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Ashley-Louise Gilbert	Reform UK	1,205	42.4%	−7.6 pts	Elected
2	Philip Thomas Massey	Labour Party	722	25.4%	—
3	Sami Mir	Green Party	349	12.3%	—
4	Altaf Nadeem	Workers Party of Britain	275	9.7%	—
5	John Kershaw	Conservative Party	160	5.6%	—
6	Rob Chilton	Liberal Democrats	129	4.5%	—

Electorate 8,533 · Ballots cast 2,855 · Invalid 15 · EC ward code local.rochdale.balderstone-kirkholt.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

South Middleton · single-seat

Marginal winner 44.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −5.8 pts Valid ballots 3,788

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Matthew Pilkington	Reform UK	1,674	44.2%	−5.8 pts	Elected
2	Peter James Williams	Labour Party	1,238	32.7%	—
3	Sunday Stephen Onabanjo	Green Party	392	10.3%	—
4	Stacey Bancroft	Conservative Party	308	8.1%	—
5	Sam Ellis	Liberal Democrats	176	4.6%	—

Electorate 8,881 · Ballots cast 3,806 · Invalid 18 · EC ward code local.rochdale.south-middleton.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Castleton · single-seat

Marginal winner 44.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −5.3 pts Valid ballots 3,083

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Dave Jones	Reform UK	1,379	44.7%	−5.3 pts	Elected
2	Billy Sheerin	Labour Party	719	23.3%	—
3	Jonathan Edward Kershaw	Green Party	638	20.7%	—
4	Malcolm Thomas Bywater	Conservative Party	197	6.4%	—
5	Sharon L Harrison	Liberal Democrats	150	4.9%	—

Electorate 8,249 · Ballots cast 3,094 · Invalid 11 · EC ward code local.rochdale.castleton.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

North Middleton · single-seat

Marginal winner 44.8% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −5.2 pts Valid ballots 3,235

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Lee Wolf	Reform UK	1,450	44.8%	−5.2 pts	Elected
2	Keeley O'Mara	Middleton Independents Party	599	18.5%	—
3	Connor Stanisauskis	Labour Party	562	17.4%	—
4	James Luckham	Green Party	410	12.7%	—
5	Eileen Taylor	Conservative Party	141	4.4%	—
6	Chariss Peacock	Liberal Democrats	73	2.3%	—

Electorate 9,320 · Ballots cast 3,241 · Invalid 6 · EC ward code local.rochdale.north-middleton.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Central Rochdale · single-seat

Marginal winner 47.3% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −2.7 pts Valid ballots 4,109

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Waqar Khan	Workers Party of Britain	1,944	47.3%	−2.7 pts	Elected
2	Iftikhar Ahmed	Labour Party	1,424	34.7%	—
3	Peter Cloran	Green Party	395	9.6%	—
4	Samantha Payne	Reform UK	269	6.5%	—
5	Catherine Leach	Conservative Party	77	1.9%	—

Electorate 9,400 · Ballots cast 4,128 · Invalid 19 · EC ward code local.rochdale.central-rochdale.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Hopwood Hall · single-seat

Marginal winner 47.9% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −2.1 pts Valid ballots 3,210

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Steve Potter	Reform UK	1,536	47.9%	−2.1 pts	Elected
2	Susan Emmott	Labour Party	856	26.7%	—
3	Stephen Spencer-Jones	Conservative Party	319	9.9%	—
4	Robert Lewis King	Green Party	290	9.0%	—
5	Iain Donaldson	Liberal Democrats	157	4.9%	—
6	Alan Shaw	Advance UK	52	1.6%	—

Electorate 8,910 · Ballots cast 3,216 · Invalid 6 · EC ward code local.rochdale.hopwood-hall.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

West Heywood · single-seat

Marginal winner 49.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −0.4 pts Valid ballots 2,974

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Stuart Crawford	Reform UK	1,474	49.6%	−0.4 pts	Elected
2	Angela Brown	Labour Party	921	31.0%	—
3	Ethan Towers	Green Party	215	7.2%	—
4	Tom Shaw	Liberal Democrats	213	7.2%	—
5	Adele Allison Anstee	Conservative Party	151	5.1%	—

Electorate 8,772 · Ballots cast 2,977 · Invalid 3 · EC ward code local.rochdale.west-heywood.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Milkstone and Deeplish · single-seat

Marginal winner 49.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −0.3 pts Valid ballots 3,136

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Mohammed Shafiq	Workers Party of Britain	1,560	49.7%	−0.3 pts	Elected
2	Mohammad Arshad	Labour Party	1,017	32.4%	—
3	Neil Gavin Rutter	Green Party	296	9.4%	—
4	Stuart Mather	Reform UK	161	5.1%	—
5	Majdi Khalil Aldimashqi	Liberal Democrats	64	2.0%	—
6	Len Branton	Conservative Party	38	1.2%	—

Electorate 7,850 · Ballots cast 3,156 · Invalid 20 · EC ward code local.rochdale.milkstone-deeplish.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

North Heywood · single-seat

Marginal winner 53.8% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +3.8 pts Valid ballots 2,539

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Michael Howard	Reform UK	1,365	53.8%	+3.8 pts	Elected
2	Lewis Chadwick Woodall	Labour Party	597	23.5%	—
3	Naomi Charlotte Brown	Green Party	310	12.2%	—
4	Sam Bancroft	Conservative Party	144	5.7%	—
5	Steve Gillan	Liberal Democrats	123	4.8%	—

Electorate 8,060 · Ballots cast 2,552 · Invalid 13 · EC ward code local.rochdale.north-heywood.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index