What are London Borough Mayors?
What is the role of the Mayor?
Four London Boroughs have directly elected mayors – Tower Hamlets, Newham, Hackney, and Lewisham.
People living in these boroughs can vote for their preferred candidate to serve for a term of four years. The mayors chair the councils and are responsible for decisions regarding policy and strategy in the borough, as well as and ensuring that services are carried out efficiently. The mayor, assisted by a cabinet of two to nine elected councillors, is also in charge of meeting the needs of their constituents and ensuring the council is run in accordance with their long term plans/strategies. They are not to be confused with the Mayor of London.
Who can vote in the election?
To be eligible to vote in the the mayoral elections you must be aged 18 or over on the day of the election, be a UK, Irish, Commonwealth or EU citizen, be registered in the boroughs, and not be legally excluded from voting.
Most importantly, you must be registered to vote, which can be easily done by visiting the UK Government website to register online.
The next elections are in 2022.
Why is it important to vote in the election?
It is essential that people vote in the mayoral elections, as the result can can have a direct impact on many aspects of your life. Furthermore, it is extremely important that young people vote in these elections, as voter turnout among the youth has been consistently low – leaving young people in the borough unrepresented.
How is the winner decided upon?
Local mayors are elected through the Supplementary Vote system, meaning you select a first and second choice when voting. If no candidate wins a majority of 50% of the vote, then all but the two leading candidates are eliminated.
If your first-choice candidate is subsequently eliminated, your second choice will be counted if they are one of the top two candidates.
