Royal Assent Restores Supplementary Vote for English Mayors, Ending FPTP Era

Context The English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill cleared Parliament and became law on 29 April 2026. Among its many provisions, the Act overturns the 2022 Elections Act requirement that mayoral contests use FPTP, a system where the candidate with the most votes wins regardless of overall support.

Key Facts In May 2025, two Strategic Authority mayors were elected with less than 30 % of the vote—28.4 % in Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and 25 % in the West of England. Those outcomes highlighted the risk of weak mandates in a fragmented party landscape. The new law restores the Supplementary Vote (SV), allowing voters to mark a first and a second choice. If no candidate reaches an outright majority, all but the top two are eliminated and second‑choice votes are redistributed.

Advocates of electoral reform welcomed the return of SV but urged a shift to the Alternative Vote (AV), which would let voters rank any number of candidates. AV proponents argue it would further reduce wasted votes and produce mayors with broader support. Despite amendments from MPs and peers, the government retained SV as the final model.

What It Means Mayoral elections from 2026 onward will use SV, improving the likelihood that winners secure a majority of expressed preferences. The change does not affect the six local authority mayoral contests scheduled for 7 May 2026, which will still run under FPTP. Those elections, along with the 5,000 council seats also due on that date, will serve as a final test of the old system’s volatility.

Stakeholders will monitor the May 2026 results for any repeat of sub‑30 % victories. The shift to SV also renews calls for broader electoral reform, including the adoption of AV or proportional representation for other offices. As the first SV‑based mayoral races approach, attention will turn to whether the new system delivers stronger democratic mandates.

Looking ahead, analysts will watch the May 2026 mayoral and council outcomes for signs of reduced vote fragmentation and will assess pressure for further voting reforms ahead of the next national election.