Quarter Three 2026 By-Election Results

This quarter 158,122 votes were cast in 82 local authority contests. All percentages are rounded to the nearest single decimal place. 44 council seats changed hands. For comparison you can view Quarter Two's results here.

Party	Number of Candidates	Total Vote	%	+/- Q2	+/- Q3 25	Avge/ Contest	+/- Seats
Conservative	81	28,039	17.7%	+0.1	+1.1	346	-3
Labour	69	30,666	19.4%	+5.5	+2.3	444	-3
Lib Dem	70	22,932	14.5%	-4.6	-2.4	328	+5
Reform	82	35,832	22.7%	-4.6	-4.2	437	+7
Green	67	21,776	13.8%	-2.1	+3.7	325	0
SNP*	5	5,030	3.2%	+2.4	+2.0	1,006	0
PC**	12	3,870	2.4%	+1.0	+0.1	323	-1
Ind***	34	6,409	4.1%	+0.4	-3.8	189	-3
Other****	27	3,566	2.3%	+1.7	+1.4	132	-2

* There were five by-elections in Scotland
** There were 14 by-elections in Wales
*** There were nine Independent clashes
**** Others this quarter were Alliance for Democracy and Freedom (28, 12, 12), Christian People's Alliance (37, 12), Communist Party of Britain (46, 22), Edinburgh & East Lothian People (78, 9, 7), Horwich and Blackrod First (1,186), Monster Raving Loony (13), Nottingham People's Alliance (523), Residents for Uttleford (138), Restore (284, 218, 98) Scottish Family Party (73, 54, 38), SPGB (6), TUSC (56, 36), Workers Party of Britain (466, 58), Your Party (45, 11)

Last quarter, Reform posted its lowest share of the popular vote since Q1 2025. Except on that occasion the party was on the rise from a low base and now, it appears, the fortunes have turned against it. Nevertheless supporters can console themselves with the largest net gain of councillors and winning most ballots. But for how long? Elsewhere, the Burnham bounce worked its magic on Labour's vote and stymied the catastrophic loss of seats. Compare this quarter to Labour's miserable record this last year. The Tories are less certain. The press like to talk about recovery, but by-election results suggest torpor. But with Reform's difficulties, they're at least well-placed to profit from them.

Speaking of the next quarter, only October's contests are locked and loaded. But if past behaviour is any guide to future behaviour, with over 2,000 councillors the chaos and fallings outs that are more characteristic of Farage's retinue than the other parties, the party can be expected to "enjoy" some awkward by-elections. Alongside the usual pattern of resignations and defections. Unless Labour right royally screws up, as long as they retain their current polling lead then local by-election retention will improve. Who knows, a net gain of councillors before Christmas?

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Local Council By-Elections September 2026

This month saw 48,753 votes cast in 20 local authority contests. All percentages are rounded to the nearest single decimal place. 11 council seats changed hands. For comparison with August's results, see here.

Party	Number of Candidates	Total Vote	%	+/- Aug	+/- Sep 25	Avge/ Contest	+/- Seats
Conservative	20	8,908	18.3%	+4.0	+3.0	445	0
Labour	19	11,250	23.1%	-1.8	+8.7	592	0
Lib Dem	17	5,885	12.3%	-2.7	-3.9	346	+1
Reform	20	8,138	16.7%	-11.8	-9.2	407	+3
Green	18	9,553	19.6%	+9.4	+5.9	531	-1
SNP*	3	3,313	6.8%	+6.8	+5.2	1,104	-1
PC**	1	329	0.7%	-0.8	-1.8	329	0
Ind***	5	428	0.9%	-1.7	-8.6	86	-1
Other****	14	949	1.9%	-1.1	+1.1	68	-1

* There were three by-elections in Scotland
** There was one by-election in Wales
*** There were no Independent clashes
**** Others this month were Alliance for Democracy and Freedom (28, 12, 12), Communist Party of Britain (46, 22), Edinburgh & East Lothian People (78, 9, 7), Scottish Family Party (73, 38), TUSC (56), Workers Party of Britain (466, 58), Your Party (45)

What a messy month! Conservatives: gained two, lost two. Labour: gained two, lost two. Greens: gained two, lost three. And on top of that, there's the weird Reform result. They retake the month's by-election crown with most net gains, but their vote has slewed away and have turned in a performance much worse than their current polling figures. Meanwhile, the Greens played musical council chairs with the Tories and Labour, but recorded their best ever vote tally and came second. Pure chaos.

Reform's slide is consistent with the party's downward trajectory, but this doesn't signal curtains any more than their trailing in the polls by two or three points do. It's a matter of geography. Labour are recovering in the polls. The Tories have inched forward from their doldrums, but ultimately a disproportionate set of by-elections took place on terrain not as congenial for a strong return for Reform. It's as simple as that. Ditto for the Greens too. They suffered some poor results this month, but they polled strongly in areas where they are strong. A decent comparator will be next month, where Reform are defending four seats and are fielding candidates in wards friendlier to them. If October's result hovers around September's figures, then they're in worse trouble than the polls suggest.

2nd September
Stroud, Kingswood, LDem hold

3rd September
Edinburgh, Portobello/Craigmillar, Grn gain from SNP
Edinburgh, Southside/Newington, Lab gain from SNP
Oxfordshire, Chesterton & Launton, LDem hold
Rhondda Cynon Taf, Llantwit Fardre, Con hold
Somerset, Frome West, Grn hold

10th September
Manchester, Burnage, Lab hold
North East Derbyshire, Eckington South & Renishaw, Ref gain from Lab
North Somerset, Hutton & Locking, Ref gain from Con
West Suffolk, Haverhill West, Con hold

15th September
Bassetlaw, East Markham, Ref gain from Con

17th September
Charnwood, Wreake Valley, Con gain from Grn
Sheffield, Walkley, Lab gain from Grn
South Lanarkshire, Avondale & Stonehouse, SNP gain from Ind

23rd September
Tunbridge Wells, Cranbrook, Sissinghurst & Frittenden, LDem gain from Oth

24th September
Brighton & Hove, Queen's Park, Grn gain from Lab
Cotswold, Blockley, Con gain from Grn
Milton Keynes, New Bradwell, Lab hold
South Staffordshire, Wombourne North, Con hold
Windsor & Maidenhead, Bray, Con hold

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