Voters Are Split On Backing Candidate Over Party At Mayoral Elections

New data has shown that voters are split as to whether to prioritise candidate or party in May's mayoral elections meaning the results may not prove to be the best bellwether for anticipating the outcome of this year's general election.

Research from the Centre for Cities think tank suggests that more than half of voters prioritise the candidate rather than the party they stand for when it comes to voting in a mayoral election. 

According to their figures in the Places Over Politics report, 51 per cent primarily look at the candidate, while 49 per cent look at which party a candidate is standing for first. 

But it is not expected that this behaviour will be replicated in the next general election, which must be called before the end of this year. Centre for Cities found that only one third (34 per cent) of people look first to the candidate, while two thirds (66 per cent) vote party first. 

Mayoral elections are due to be held in 10 locations in England on 2 May, the same day as local elections in parts of the country. The Conservatives are expected to suffer significant losses, with most of these seats having last been up in 2021, when then prime minister Boris Johnson’s government benefited from an electoral boost thanks to the Covid vaccine roll out. 

Paul Swinney, Centre for Cities’ director of policy and research believes that with local authority elections, Westminster-watchers and national media will use the results to try and extrapolate what they can tell us about the country-wide picture 

“What may be slightly disappointing for them – for those national journalists – is that if people are much more likely to vote for a candidate in the mayoral election, it probably means that mayoral elections aren't going to