By Your Local Democracy Reporter
While residents in neighbouring Leicestershire and across much of England head to the polls today, voters in Rutland might notice a distinct lack of activity at their local community halls. Despite 136 councils holding elections this Thursday, Rutland County Council’s ballot boxes remain firmly in storage.
For those wondering why our "Smallest County" isn't joining the fray, the answer lies in the council’s specific electoral cycle and a bit of a quirk in the national polling calendar.
Unlike many metropolitan and district councils that elect their members "by thirds" (voting in three out of every four years), Rutland County Council operates on an "all-out" system. This means every single seat on the council is contested at the same time, once every four years.
Rutland last went to the polls in May 2023, a year that saw a significant shift in the local political landscape. Because of that four-year gap, 2024, 2025, and this year, 2026, were never scheduled to have full council elections here.
What about the Parishes?
It’s a similar story for our Town and Parish Councils. From Oakham and Uppingham to our smallest villages, parish elections are synchronised with the County Council. Since those were also contested in 2023, they are currently in the middle of their four-year term.
Residents won’t have to wait until the end of the decade to have their say. The next set of local elections for Rutland is scheduled for May 2027.
At that time, voters will be called upon to elect:
All members of Rutland County Council
All Town and Parish Councillors across the county
The "quiet" polling day in Rutland feels unusual this year because 2026 is a "bumper" year for other parts of the UK. Today features elections for the Scottish Parliament, the Senedd in Wales, and all 32 London Boroughs.
Additionally, a significant government reorganisation has seen some councils' elections postponed or moved to align with new unitary structures. However, as Rutland is already a established unitary authority, it remains unaffected by these specific changes, sticking to its original 2027 roadmap.
So, if you were planning on heading to a polling station today, you can stand down unless a specific local by-election has been triggered in your ward. For the rest of us, the next major date for the diary is Thursday, 6 May 2027.
Quick Facts:
Last Election: May 2023
Next Scheduled Election: May 2027
Status: All-out elections (County and Parish)
Voter ID: Remember, you will still need a valid photo ID when the 2027 elections arrive.
Thursday, 7 May 2026, is a major polling day across England with elections taking place in 136 local authorities.
Below is the complete list of councils holding elections today, including the 32 London Boroughs, Metropolitan Boroughs, Unitary Authorities, County Councils, and District Councils.
London Boroughs (All 32)
Barking & Dagenham:Barnet:
Bexley:
Brent:
Bromley:
Camden:
Croydon:
Ealing:
Enfield:
Greenwich:
Hackney:
Hammersmith & Fulham:
Haringey:
Harrow:
Havering:
Hillingdon:
Hounslow:
Islington:
Kensington & Chelsea:
Kingston upon Thames:
Lambeth:
Lewisham:
Merton:
Newham:
Redbridge:
Richmond upon Thames:
Southwark:
Sutton:
Tower Hamlets:
Waltham Forest:
Wandsworth:
Westminster:
Barnsley:
Birmingham:
Bolton:
Bradford:
Bury:
Calderdale:
Coventry:
Doncaster:
Dudley:
Gateshead:
Kirklees:
Knowsley:
Leeds:
Liverpool:
Manchester:
Newcastle upon Tyne:
North Tyneside:
Oldham:
Rochdale:
Rotherham:
Salford:
Sandwell:
Sefton:
Sheffield:
Solihull:
South Tyneside:
St Helens:
Stockport:
Sunderland:
Tameside:
Trafford:
Wakefield:
Walsall:
Wigan:
Wolverhampton:
Blackburn with Darwen:
Derby:
Halton:
Hartlepool:
Hull:
Isle of Wight:
Milton Keynes:
North East Lincolnshire:
Portsmouth:
Reading:
Slough:
Southampton:
Southend-on-Sea:
Swindon:
Thurrock:
Wokingham:
East Surrey (Shadow):
West Surrey (Shadow):
East Sussex:
Essex:
Hampshire:
Norfolk:
Suffolk:
West Sussex:
Adur:
Basildon:
Basingstoke & Deane:
Brentwood:
Broxbourne:
Burnley:
Cambridge:
Cannock Chase:
Cheltenham:
Cherwell:
Chorley:
Colchester:
Crawley:
Eastleigh:
Epping Forest:
Exeter:
Fareham:
Gosport:
Harlow:
Hart:
Hastings:
Havant:
Huntingdonshire:
Hyndburn:
Ipswich:
Lincoln:
Newcastle-under-Lyme:
Norwich:
Nuneaton & Bedworth:
Oxford:
Pendle:
Peterborough:
Plymouth:
Preston:
Redditch:
Rochford:
Rugby:
Rushmoor:
South Cambridgeshire:
St Albans:
Stevenage:
Tamworth:
Three Rivers:
Tunbridge Wells:
Watford:
Welwyn Hatfield:
West Lancashire:
West Oxfordshire:
Winchester:
Worthing:
Quick Reminder: Polls close at 10:00 PM tonight. You will need a valid photo ID to vote in person.
