London Election race officially begins

19 March 2024

Official election period begins and candidate nominations open

Today (Tuesday) marks the official start of the pre-election period for the Mayor of London and London Assembly Elections [1].
The notice of election was issued at 8am - and with 44 days to go until polling day on 2 May, London Elects is calling on voters across the capital to get ready to vote.
From today the candidates who wish to stand for Mayor of London and the London Assembly can submit nomination papers. The nominations period is seven working days and nominations close at 4pm on 27 March.

The Mayor and the London Assembly are responsible for issues that affect every Londoner – from transport and policing to housing and the environment – with a budget of some £20.4bn per year.

The Greater London Returning Officer (GLRO), Mary Harpley said:
"The work of the Mayor and the London Assembly affects the everyday life of every Londoner.

Wherever you live in the capital, if you want to make sure your voice is heard, you need to vote on 2 May. Go to www.londonelects.org.uk now, to find out how to fill in your three ballot papers and the different ways you can vote."

On 2 May, over six million registered Londoners will be able to vote for the Mayor of London and the 25 London Assembly Members.

The election itself will see over 3,600 polling stations set up across London on 2 May. The stations will have 12,000+ staff and will open between 7am and 10pm. Another 10,000 staff will then be on hand to verify and count votes on the 3 and 4 May.

Register to vote

You can vote if you are:

Aged 18 or over on 2 May 2024
A British, qualifying Commonwealth or EU citizen
Living in London
Registered to vote by 16 April 2024

To register to vote, visit: gov.uk/register-to-vote

Bring photo ID

If you are voting in a polling station, you must bring a valid form of photo ID.
If you do not have an accepted document, you can apply for free photo ID by 5pm on 24 April.

How to vote

You will be issued with three ballot papers. Vote for Mayor of London using your pink ballot paper – you have one choice. Use the yellow ballot paper to vote for a London Assembly Member to represent your local area, and the orange ballot paper to vote for an Assembly Member to represent the whole of London. Make once choice for each.

Your polling station will be open from 7am until 10pm on election day. Before 2 May, you will receive your polling card through your door. This will include details of your polling station and a full list of accepted forms of photo ID. You will be asked to show your ID before you can be issued with ballot papers.

You can also vote by post. You must apply by 5pm on 20 April 2024. Your ballot papers will be sent to you about a week before Election Day. Mark your votes and return them to arrive before 10pm on 2 May 2024.

You can also vote by proxy. This is when a person you trust votes for your chosen candidates on your behalf if you are unable to make it to the polling station. If you want a proxy vote, apply by 5pm on 24 April 2024. The deadline to apply for a proxy vote as a result of an emergency is 5pm, Thursday 2 May 2024.
To find out more, visit londonelects.org.uk

Important dates

These dates apply to both the Mayor and the London Assembly.

Pre-election period: Tuesday 19 March 2024
Nominations: Tuesday 19 March – Wednesday 27 March 2024
Candidates announced: Thursday 28 March 2024 - evening [2]
Voting: Thursday 2 May 2024 (polling stations open from 7am to 10pm)
Count commences: Saturday 4 May 2024 from 9am

The last day to register to vote in the Mayor of London and London Assembly elections is Tuesday 16 April 2024.

Second Media briefing at City Hall – Wednesday 3 April, 12.30pm-1.30pm. GLRO & Electoral Commission. ***PLEASE NOTE THE TIME & DATE CHANGE***

Third Media briefing at City Hall – Tuesday 23 April, 12.30am-2.30pm. Technical

For more information and if you wish to attend the Media briefings, please contact the London Elects media office.

London Elects Head of Media:
Alison Bell - 07887 832 918 – City Hall
[email protected]
[email protected]

www.londonelects.org.uk

Notes to editors

This unique form of local government represents the interests of London and Londoners.
London has one Mayor and 25 Assembly Members. The Mayor of London is responsible for running the city, from policing and housing to environment and transport.
The Assembly keeps a check on the Mayor’s work and investigates issues that matter to Londoners.
Statutorily, the statement of persons nominated must be made no later than 4pm on Tuesday 2 April 2024, but the aim is to make the announcement before the Easter break.
Link to the forms of acceptable photo-ID
How to complete the ballot papers
Ballot Paper mock ups
To find out more, visit londonelects.org.uk
Link to 2021 results