← Wakefield (all cycles) · 4 May 2023 cohort

Wakefield 2023

Local elections held 4 May 2023.

21 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 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 21 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 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.

Party	Votes	Vote %	Seats won	% of seats	Proportional seats	Proportional %	Δ
Labour Party	34,304	52.7%	20	95.2%	13	61.9%	+7
Conservative and Unionist Party	14,153	21.7%	0	0.0%	5	23.8%	-5
Green Party	4,663	7.2%	0	0.0%	1	4.8%	-1
WAKE & D IND	3,979	6.1%	0	0.0%	1	4.8%	-1
Liberal Democrats	3,300	5.1%	1	4.8%	1	4.8%	0
Yorkshire Party	2,563	3.9%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Independent	1,436	2.2%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Reform UK	434	0.7%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	165	0.3%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Social Democratic Party	84	0.1%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Total	65,081	100.0%	21	100.0%	21	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

Wards in this council

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

Wakefield Rural · 1 seat · won at 37.5% · +12.5 pts below quota
Wrenthorpe & Outwood West · 1 seat · won at 40.2% · +9.8 pts below quota
Wakefield South · 1 seat · won at 42.6% · +7.4 pts below quota
Ossett · 1 seat · won at 45.5% · +4.5 pts below quota
Normanton · 1 seat · won at 47.1% · +2.9 pts below quota
Ackworth North Elmsall & Upton · 1 seat · won at 47.5% · +2.5 pts below quota
Airedale & Ferry Fryston · 1 seat · won at 48.6% · +1.4 pts below quota
Pontefract South · 1 seat · won at 50.0% · above quota
Horbury & South Ossett · 1 seat · won at 50.3% · above quota
Wakefield East · 1 seat · won at 52.5% · above quota
Altofts & Whitwood · 1 seat · won at 52.8% · above quota
Stanley & Outwood East · 1 seat · won at 55.8% · above quota
Hemsworth · 1 seat · won at 56.3% · above quota
Knottingley · 1 seat · won at 58.6% · above quota
Crofton Ryhill & Walton · 1 seat · won at 58.6% · above quota
Wakefield North · 1 seat · won at 61.3% · above quota
Castleford Central & Glasshoughton · 1 seat · won at 62.1% · above quota
Pontefract North · 1 seat · won at 62.7% · above quota
Wakefield West · 1 seat · won at 64.0% · above quota
Featherstone · 1 seat · won at 73.1% · above quota
South Elmsall & South Kirkby · 1 seat · won at 79.8% · above quota

Race results

Wakefield Rural · single-seat

Marginal winner 37.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +12.5 pts below quota Valid ballots 4,080

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Bryan, J.	Labour Party	1,530	37.5%	Elected
2	Sanders, I.	Conservative and Unionist Party	1,516	37.2%
3	Herdson, D.	Yorkshire Party	494	12.1%
4	Lord, M.	Liberal Democrats	300	7.4%
5	Sadler, K.	Green Party	240	5.9%

Electorate 13,629 · Ballots cast 4,080 · Back to ward index

Wrenthorpe & Outwood West · single-seat

Marginal winner 40.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +9.8 pts below quota Valid ballots 3,777

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Keith, C.	Labour Party	1,520	40.2%	Elected
2	Stansby, N.	WAKE & D IND	1,120	29.7%
3	Ali, W.	Conservative and Unionist Party	614	16.3%
4	Vere, N.	Liberal Democrats	195	5.2%
5	Thompson, O.	Green Party	175	4.6%
6	Dews, D.	Reform UK	153	4.1%

Electorate 12,945 · Ballots cast 3,777 · Back to ward index

Wakefield South · single-seat

Marginal winner 42.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +7.4 pts below quota Valid ballots 3,506

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Law, K.	Labour Party	1,493	42.6%	Elected
2	Formuli, N.	Conservative and Unionist Party	1,424	40.6%
3	Johnson, K.	WAKE & D IND	298	8.5%
4	Holmes, K.	Green Party	291	8.3%

Electorate 10,783 · Ballots cast 3,506 · Back to ward index

Ossett · single-seat

Marginal winner 45.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +4.5 pts below quota Valid ballots 3,368

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Rowley, O.	Labour Party	1,531	45.5%	Elected
2	Kitchen, D.	Independent	670	19.9%
3	Biltcliffe, S.	Yorkshire Party	484	14.4%
4	Sargeant, T.	Liberal Democrats	473	14.0%
5	Scott, S.	Green Party	210	6.2%

Electorate 12,480 · Ballots cast 3,368 · Back to ward index

Normanton · single-seat

Marginal winner 47.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +2.9 pts below quota Valid ballots 2,672

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Khan, A.	Labour Party	1,258	47.1%	Elected
2	Parsons, C.	WAKE & D IND	520	19.5%
3	Weldon, L.	Conservative and Unionist Party	494	18.5%
4	Ebbs, N.	Liberal Democrats	225	8.4%
5	Clayton, J.	Green Party	175	6.5%

Electorate 12,852 · Ballots cast 2,672 · Back to ward index

Ackworth North Elmsall & Upton · single-seat

Marginal winner 47.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +2.5 pts below quota Valid ballots 3,193

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Carrington, J.	Labour Party	1,516	47.5%	Elected
2	Thomas, C.	Conservative and Unionist Party	579	18.1%
3	Marshall, G.	Independent	550	17.2%
4	Miles, A.	Reform UK	281	8.8%
5	Gabriel, J.	Green Party	267	8.4%

Electorate 13,362 · Ballots cast 3,193 · Back to ward index

Airedale & Ferry Fryston · single-seat

Marginal winner 48.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +1.4 pts below quota Valid ballots 2,185

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Shaw, L.	Labour Party	1,061	48.6%	Elected
2	Kennedy, N.	WAKE & D IND	711	32.5%
3	Hudson, K.	Conservative and Unionist Party	258	11.8%
4	Ingham, J.	Green Party	88	4.0%
5	Heaps, R.	Liberal Democrats	67	3.1%

Electorate 11,526 · Ballots cast 2,185 · Back to ward index

Pontefract South · single-seat

Marginal winner 50.0% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference 0.0 pts Valid ballots 3,313

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Mayhew, B.	Labour Party	1,658	50.0%	Elected
2	Craven, A.	Conservative and Unionist Party	1,244	37.5%
3	Watkins, O.	Green Party	164	5.0%
4	Hayes, S.	Liberal Democrats	163	4.9%
5	Lake, T.	Social Democratic Party	84	2.5%

Electorate 11,834 · Ballots cast 3,313 · Back to ward index

Horbury & South Ossett · single-seat

Marginal winner 50.3% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −0.3 pts Valid ballots 3,574

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Page, G.	Labour Party	1,796	50.3%	Elected
2	Fishwick, S.	Conservative and Unionist Party	1,303	36.5%
3	Goodair, M.	Liberal Democrats	283	7.9%
4	Norris, R.	Green Party	192	5.4%

Electorate 11,655 · Ballots cast 3,574 · Back to ward index

Wakefield East · single-seat

Marginal winner 52.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −2.5 pts Valid ballots 3,459

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Heptinstall, S.	Labour Party	1,815	52.5%	Elected
2	Hayat, M.	Conservative and Unionist Party	1,175	34.0%
3	Wilson, M.	Independent	216	6.2%
4	MacKintosh, J.	Green Party	183	5.3%
5	Griffiths, M.	Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	70	2.0%

Electorate 11,700 · Ballots cast 3,459 · Back to ward index

Altofts & Whitwood · single-seat

Marginal winner 52.8% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −2.8 pts Valid ballots 3,308

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Hepworth, J.	Labour Party	1,748	52.8%	Elected
2	Thomas, J.	WAKE & D IND	804	24.3%
3	Swift, A.	Conservative and Unionist Party	518	15.7%
4	Dodd, K.	Green Party	238	7.2%

Electorate 14,359 · Ballots cast 3,308 · Back to ward index

Stanley & Outwood East · single-seat

Marginal winner 55.8% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −5.8 pts Valid ballots 3,619

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Hemingway, J.	Labour Party	2,018	55.8%	Elected
2	Sanghera, K.	Conservative and Unionist Party	733	20.3%
3	Prest, J.	WAKE & D IND	336	9.3%
4	Hawksley, B.	Yorkshire Party	273	7.5%
5	Copeland, R.	Green Party	223	6.2%
6	Lumber, D.	Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	36	1.0%

Electorate 13,165 · Ballots cast 3,619 · Back to ward index

Hemsworth · single-seat

Marginal winner 56.3% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −6.3 pts Valid ballots 2,327

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Williamson, J.	Labour Party	1,310	56.3%	Elected
2	Morton, L.	Green Party	704	30.3%
3	Cowton, L.	Conservative and Unionist Party	313	13.5%

Electorate 12,040 · Ballots cast 2,327 · Back to ward index

Knottingley · single-seat

Marginal winner 58.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −8.6 pts Valid ballots 2,386

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Speak, R.	Liberal Democrats	1,398	58.6%	Elected
2	Biddle, T.	Labour Party	734	30.8%
3	Mullins, E.	Conservative and Unionist Party	182	7.6%
4	Love, R.	Green Party	72	3.0%

Electorate 10,468 · Ballots cast 2,386 · Back to ward index

Crofton Ryhill & Walton · single-seat

Marginal winner 58.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −8.6 pts Valid ballots 3,466

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Cummings, M.	Labour Party	2,032	58.6%	Elected
2	Clayton, C.	Conservative and Unionist Party	904	26.1%
3	Cochran, D.	Yorkshire Party	280	8.1%
4	Newby, G.	Green Party	250	7.2%

Electorate 12,316 · Ballots cast 3,466 · Back to ward index

Wakefield North · single-seat

Marginal winner 61.3% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −11.3 pts Valid ballots 2,966

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Isherwood, M.	Labour Party	1,818	61.3%	Elected
2	Holwell, A.	Conservative and Unionist Party	643	21.7%
3	Russell, D.	Green Party	224	7.6%
4	Mack, A.	Yorkshire Party	222	7.5%
5	Griffiths, T.	Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	59	2.0%

Electorate 12,186 · Ballots cast 2,966 · Back to ward index

Castleford Central & Glasshoughton · single-seat

Marginal winner 62.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −12.1 pts Valid ballots 2,669

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Wallis, T.	Labour Party	1,657	62.1%	Elected
2	Phelps, P.	Yorkshire Party	435	16.3%
3	Smart, J.	Conservative and Unionist Party	368	13.8%
4	Brennan, S.	Green Party	114	4.3%
5	Walton, J.	Liberal Democrats	95	3.6%

Electorate 12,509 · Ballots cast 2,669 · Back to ward index

Pontefract North · single-seat

Marginal winner 62.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −12.7 pts Valid ballots 2,923

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Appleyard, H.	Labour Party	1,832	62.7%	Elected
2	Hyomes, C.	Conservative and Unionist Party	464	15.9%
3	Dawson, C.	Yorkshire Party	375	12.8%
4	Tingle, E.	Green Party	151	5.2%
5	Birdsall, L.	Liberal Democrats	101	3.5%

Electorate 14,281 · Ballots cast 2,923 · Back to ward index

Wakefield West · single-seat

Marginal winner 64.0% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −14.0 pts Valid ballots 2,856

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Graham, M.	Labour Party	1,829	64.0%	Elected
2	Hannam, N.	Conservative and Unionist Party	681	23.8%
3	Gill, C.	WAKE & D IND	190	6.7%
4	Elliott, L.	Green Party	156	5.5%

Electorate 11,290 · Ballots cast 2,856 · Back to ward index

Featherstone · single-seat

Marginal winner 73.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −23.1 pts Valid ballots 2,813

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Isherwood, G.	Labour Party	2,057	73.1%	Elected
2	Hardwick, J.	Conservative and Unionist Party	475	16.9%
3	Howick, A.	Green Party	281	10.0%

Electorate 13,113 · Ballots cast 2,813 · Back to ward index

South Elmsall & South Kirkby · single-seat

Marginal winner 79.8% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −29.8 pts Valid ballots 2,621

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Tulley, S.	Labour Party	2,091	79.8%	Elected
2	Ruzvidzo, P.	Conservative and Unionist Party	265	10.1%
3	Ludewig, S.	Green Party	265	10.1%

Electorate 13,627 · Ballots cast 2,621 · Back to ward index