← Winchester (all cycles) · 7 May 2026 cohort

Winchester 2026

Local elections held 7 May 2026.

15 ward races

15 seats

12 elected below the proportional quota

80.0% 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 15 wards in this cycle, parties received the vote totals below. The proportional column shows what each party would have won if the 15 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
Liberal Democrats	20,243	41.6%	13	86.7%	7	46.7%	+6
Conservative Party	10,798	22.2%	0	0.0%	3	20.0%	-3
Reform UK	8,407	17.3%	0	0.0%	3	20.0%	-3
Green Party	6,800	14.0%	1	6.7%	2	13.3%	-1
Independent	1,347	2.8%	1	6.7%	0	0.0%	+1
Labour Party	1,052	2.2%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Total	48,647	100.0%	15	100.0%	15	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.

Denmead · 1 seat · won at 36.4% · −13.6 pts below quota
Upper Meon Valley · 1 seat · won at 37.0% · −13.0 pts below quota
Central Meon Valley · 1 seat · won at 38.7% · −11.3 pts below quota
Southwick and Wickham · 1 seat · won at 39.4% · −10.6 pts below quota
Whiteley and Shedfield · 1 seat · won at 39.7% · −10.3 pts below quota
Wonston and Micheldever · 1 seat · won at 41.3% · −8.7 pts below quota
St Michael · 1 seat · won at 42.5% · −7.5 pts below quota
Bishop's Waltham · 1 seat · won at 43.7% · −6.3 pts below quota
Badger Farm and Oliver's Battery · 1 seat · won at 45.3% · −4.7 pts below quota
St Bartholomew · 1 seat · won at 48.1% · −1.9 pts below quota
St Paul · 1 seat · won at 48.3% · −1.7 pts below quota
Colden Common and Twyford · 1 seat · won at 49.1% · −0.9 pts below quota
Alresford and Itchen Valley · 1 seat · won at 52.7% · above quota
The Worthys · 1 seat · won at 53.2% · above quota
St Barnabas · 1 seat · won at 53.2% · above quota

Race results

Denmead · single-seat

Marginal winner 36.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −13.6 pts Valid ballots 3,254

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Martin Clay	Liberal Democrats	1,186	36.4%	−13.6 pts	Elected
2	Amanda Aldridge	Reform UK	998	30.7%	—
3	Caroline Lorraine Brook	Conservative Party	800	24.6%	—
4	Laura O'Connor	Green Party	185	5.7%	—
5	Andrew Thomas Kirby	Labour Party	85	2.6%	—

Electorate 6,963 · Ballots cast 3,266 · Invalid 12 · EC ward code local.winchester.denmead.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Upper Meon Valley · single-seat

Marginal winner 37.0% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −13.0 pts Valid ballots 2,525

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	David Ablitt	Liberal Democrats	933	37.0%	−13.0 pts	Elected
2	Neil Bolton	Conservative Party	917	36.3%	—
3	Charlotte Lee Northbrook	Reform UK	444	17.6%	—
4	Amanda Mary Griffith	Green Party	208	8.2%	—
5	Nicholas Bennett-Britton	Labour Party	23	0.9%	—

Electorate 4,578 · Ballots cast 2,531 · Invalid 6 · EC ward code local.winchester.upper-meon-valley.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Central Meon Valley · single-seat

Marginal winner 38.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −11.3 pts Valid ballots 4,061

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Malcolm Wallace	Green Party	1,570	38.7%	−11.3 pts	Elected
2	David Newberry	Conservative Party	874	21.5%	—
3	Frances Baxter	Reform UK	858	21.1%	—
4	Roger John Bentote	Liberal Democrats	708	17.4%	—
5	Martyn Kevin Davis	Labour Party	51	1.3%	—

Electorate 7,643 · Ballots cast 4,073 · Invalid 12 · EC ward code local.winchester.central-meon-valley.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Southwick and Wickham · single-seat

Marginal winner 39.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −10.6 pts Valid ballots 2,681

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Neil Cutler	Liberal Democrats	1,056	39.4%	−10.6 pts	Elected
2	Richard Harris	Reform UK	839	31.3%	—
3	Denise Searle	Conservative Party	471	17.6%	—
4	Ben Thomas	Green Party	257	9.6%	—
5	Alexander Hodgkinson	Labour Party	58	2.2%	—

Electorate 6,012 · Ballots cast 2,691 · Invalid 10 · EC ward code local.winchester.southwick-wickham.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Whiteley and Shedfield · single-seat

Marginal winner 39.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −10.3 pts Valid ballots 3,275

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Anne Small	Liberal Democrats	1,301	39.7%	−10.3 pts	Elected
2	Julie Frances Harrison	Reform UK	781	23.8%	—
3	Marcus Garth	Conservative Party	496	15.1%	—
4	Ben Russell	Green Party	461	14.1%	—
5	Sean Gerrard Whelan	Independent	183	5.6%	—
6	Richard Carthew	Labour Party	53	1.6%	—

Electorate 0 · Ballots cast 3,275 · EC ward code local.winchester.whiteley-shedfield.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Wonston and Micheldever · single-seat

Marginal winner 41.3% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −8.7 pts Valid ballots 3,227

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Andrew Timothy Adams	Liberal Democrats	1,332	41.3%	−8.7 pts	Elected
2	Patrick Brian Cunningham	Conservative Party	1,130	35.0%	—
3	Nick Constable	Reform UK	489	15.2%	—
4	Antony Francis De Peyer	Labour Party	233	7.2%	—
5	Cameron Hardie	Green Party	43	1.3%	—

Electorate 5,800 · Ballots cast 3,232 · Invalid 5 · EC ward code local.winchester.wonston-micheldever.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

St Michael · single-seat

Marginal winner 42.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −7.5 pts Valid ballots 3,267

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Mark Paul Reach	Liberal Democrats	1,390	42.5%	−7.5 pts	Elected
2	Ian Donald Tait	Conservative Party	760	23.3%	—
3	Kate Needham	Green Party	636	19.5%	—
4	David Ernest Simons Delmonte	Reform UK	413	12.6%	—
5	Archie William Ledger	Labour Party	68	2.1%	—

Electorate 6,526 · Ballots cast 3,277 · Invalid 10 · EC ward code local.winchester.st-michael.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Bishop's Waltham · single-seat

Marginal winner 43.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −6.3 pts Valid ballots 3,414

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Simone Fleuren	Liberal Democrats	1,493	43.7%	−6.3 pts	Elected
2	Steve Miller	Conservative Party	856	25.1%	—
3	Peter James Jordan	Reform UK	643	18.8%	—
4	Doug Stinton	Green Party	363	10.6%	—
5	Steve Haines	Labour Party	59	1.7%	—

Electorate 6,787 · Ballots cast 3,421 · Invalid 7 · EC ward code local.winchester.bishops-waltham.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Badger Farm and Oliver's Battery · single-seat

Marginal winner 45.3% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −4.7 pts Valid ballots 3,831

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Brian Leslie Laming	Liberal Democrats	1,735	45.3%	−4.7 pts	Elected
2	Ed Kennedy	Conservative Party	1,192	31.1%	—
3	Lincoln Redding	Reform UK	442	11.5%	—
4	Max Priesemann	Green Party	387	10.1%	—
5	Alison Phyllis Cochrane	Labour Party	75	2.0%	—

Electorate 6,474 · Ballots cast 3,842 · Invalid 11 · EC ward code local.winchester.badger-farm-olivers-battery.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

St Bartholomew · single-seat

Marginal winner 48.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −1.9 pts Valid ballots 3,024

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Kathleen Mary Becker	Liberal Democrats	1,455	48.1%	−1.9 pts	Elected
2	Lorraine Estelle	Green Party	779	25.8%	—
3	Roseanna Leigh Curley	Reform UK	363	12.0%	—
4	Fiona Mather	Conservative Party	348	11.5%	—
5	Patrick Davies	Labour Party	79	2.6%	—

Electorate 6,477 · Ballots cast 3,029 · Invalid 5 · EC ward code local.winchester.st-bartholomew.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

St Paul · single-seat

Marginal winner 48.3% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −1.7 pts Valid ballots 3,345

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Lucille Thompson	Liberal Democrats	1,616	48.3%	−1.7 pts	Elected
2	Simon Warde	Green Party	951	28.4%	—
3	Joe Hill	Conservative Party	439	13.1%	—
4	Paul Jonathan O'Nions	Reform UK	275	8.2%	—
5	Peter Rees	Labour Party	64	1.9%	—

Electorate 6,448 · Ballots cast 3,349 · Invalid 4 · EC ward code local.winchester.st-paul.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Colden Common and Twyford · single-seat

Marginal winner 49.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −0.9 pts Valid ballots 2,373

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Sue Cook	Independent	1,164	49.1%	−0.9 pts	Elected
2	Sophia Grace Williams	Liberal Democrats	540	22.8%	—
3	Kevin Patrick James Mills	Reform UK	382	16.1%	—
4	Hugo Mabbott	Conservative Party	245	10.3%	—
5	Adrian John Paul Field	Labour Party	42	1.8%	—

Electorate 4,659 · Ballots cast 2,386 · Invalid 13 · EC ward code local.winchester.colden-common-twyford.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Alresford and Itchen Valley · single-seat

Marginal winner 52.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +2.7 pts Valid ballots 3,745

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Margot Julia Power	Liberal Democrats	1,975	52.7%	+2.7 pts	Elected
2	Lisa Suzanne Griffiths	Conservative Party	901	24.1%	—
3	Nicholas Brian Fortescue Hubbard	Reform UK	596	15.9%	—
4	Tom Street	Green Party	228	6.1%	—
5	Tessa Susan Valentine	Labour Party	45	1.2%	—

Electorate 6,975 · Ballots cast 3,757 · Invalid 12 · EC ward code local.winchester.alresford-itchen-valley.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

The Worthys · single-seat

Marginal winner 53.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +3.2 pts Valid ballots 2,900

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Jackie Porter	Liberal Democrats	1,542	53.2%	+3.2 pts	Elected
2	Signe Biddle	Conservative Party	623	21.5%	—
3	Liam David Horton	Reform UK	431	14.9%	—
4	Luke Ainscough	Green Party	253	8.7%	—
5	Jamie Trodden	Labour Party	51	1.8%	—

Electorate 5,736 · Ballots cast 2,905 · Invalid 5 · EC ward code local.winchester.the-worthys.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

St Barnabas · single-seat

Marginal winner 53.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +3.2 pts Valid ballots 3,725

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	James Edward Batho	Liberal Democrats	1,981	53.2%	+3.2 pts	Elected
2	David Killeen	Conservative Party	746	20.0%	—
3	Jessica Redway	Green Party	479	12.9%	—
4	Mark Lawrence Gordon Adams	Reform UK	453	12.2%	—
5	Lucy Sims	Labour Party	66	1.8%	—

Electorate 6,823 · Ballots cast 3,737 · Invalid 12 · EC ward code local.winchester.st-barnabas.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index