Types of election, referendums, and who can vote

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Local mayors, Mayor of London and London Assembly

Elected local mayors

In some areas of England voters elect a mayor.

Check if your mayor is elected on your local council website.

Mayors are elected using the First Past the Post system. You vote once for a candidate and the candidate with the most votes becomes mayor.

To vote for a local mayor, you must be eligible to vote in local elections.

Mayor of London and London Assembly

The Mayor of London makes decisions on behalf of the people of London. The 25 London Assembly Members make sure the Mayor’s decisions are in the interests of the public.

To vote in the London Mayor and London Assembly elections you must:

  • be registered to vote
  • be 18 or over on the day of the election (‘polling day’)
  • be resident at an address in Greater London
  • not be legally excluded from voting

You can vote if you’re a British citizen or an Irish citizen.

You can also vote if you have permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man - or you do not need permission - and you’re a:

  • Commonwealth citizen 
  • citizen of Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal or Spain 
  • citizen of another EU country, if you have had permission to enter or stay - or not needed permission - since 31 December 2020, and this has continued without a break

How candidates are elected

The Mayor of London is elected using the First Past the Post system. You vote once for a candidate and the candidate with the most votes becomes mayor.

London Assembly members are elected using the Additional Member system. You vote once for your constituency member and once for a London-wide representative.

There are 14 constituency members and 11 London-wide members.

Read more about the Mayor of London and London Assembly elections on the Electoral Commission website.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Part of Vote in UK elections

  1. Step 1 Check if you can vote

    1. Check which elections you can vote in

  2. Step 2 Register to vote

    You’ll need to be registered to vote to take part in elections and referendums. You’ll need to register again if you change your name, address or nationality.

    1. Register to vote - apply online
    1. Register to vote - apply by post

  3. Step 3 Decide if you want to vote in person, by post, or by proxy

    1. Find out the different ways you can vote

  4. Step 4 Get ready to vote in person

    1. Check what ID you need to vote

    If you do not have photo ID that allows you to vote, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.

    1. Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate

    Contact your Electoral Registration Office to find your polling station or to find out what to do if you have accessibility needs.

    1. Contact your Electoral Registration Office

  5. or Apply for a postal vote

    In England, Scotland or Wales:

    1. Apply in Northern Ireland - by post only
    1. Find out more about voting by post

  6. or Apply for a proxy vote

    In England, Scotland or Wales:

    1. Apply in Northern Ireland - by post only
    1. Find out more about voting by proxy - including when you must apply by

  7. or Get ready to vote as a proxy

    1. Check what ID you need to vote

    Contact the Electoral Registration Office of the person you are a proxy for to find their polling station or to find out what to do if you have accessibility issues.

    1. Contact the Electoral Registration Office

  8. Step 5 Vote in person

    1. Vote in person

  9. or Vote by post

    1. Vote by post

  10. or Vote as a proxy for someone else

    1. Vote as a proxy for someone else