All you need to know about the big vote
LONDONERS are set to go to the polls on May 2 to elect their mayor and London Assembly Members. This will be for the first time since Sadiq Khan was returned for a second term as the city’s leader in 2021.
The vote was due to take place in 2020 but was postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Now, Mr Khan faces voters again as he aims to be elected for a third term, which would make him the longest serving Mayor of London ever.
He only has two predecessors, Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson, both of whom were elected to the position twice. Also being chosen are the city’s London Assembly Members.
The body is made up of 25 members who represent different parts of the capital. Their job is to run committees and hold the mayor to account.
On election day, two votes are cast by each person - one for the mayor and the other for the London Assembly. Voters can put a cross in the box of two members of the Assembly - one to represent their local constituency and one for the city overall. This is the same as previous elections.
But the voting system used to select the capital’s mayor has changed since 2021. Previously, electors would list a first and second preference candidate.
However, on May 2, a new first past the post system means people can only vote for one candidate. Whichever has the most votes after they have been counted will be declared the winner.
Here is a list of all those standing for mayor:
■ ■Femy Amin, Animal Welfare Party - People, Animals, Environment
■ ■Count Binface, independent
■ ■Rob Blackie, Liberal Democrats
■ ■Natalie Campbell, independent
■ ■Howard Cox, Reform UK - London Deserves Better
■ ■Amy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party
■ ■Zoë Garbett, The Green Party
■ ■Tarun Ghulati, independent
■ ■Susan Hall, The Conservative Party
■ ■Sadiq Khan, Labour Party
■ ■Andreas Michli, independent
■ ■Brian Rose, London Real Party - Transform London
■ ■Nick Scanlon, Britain First - No To Immigration
Keep up with the latest on the elections at www.mylondon.com