Local Elections - 7 May 2026 - Print version

Coventry City Council elections - 7 May 2026

On Thursday 7 May 2026, the city will vote for councillors to represent them on the City Council. All 54 seats on the City Council will be up for election on the new Wards which are being implemented following the Local Government Boundary Review .

All electors who are currently registered and are eligible to vote will receive a poll card between 26 to 30 March.

If you've recently moved or turned 18, you may not be registered. You can register at register to vote [https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote]. The deadline to register to vote for the election is midnight on 20 April.

If you wish to vote at the polling station you will be required to show an accepted form of photographic ID before being issued with a ballot paper, to find out more information on what forms of ID are accepted or on how to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate visit our information webpage [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/voterid]

Polls will be open on 7 May from 7am to 10pm. If you are unable to attend the polling station [/pollingstations], you can apply to vote by post [/postalvoting]. Alternatively you could apply for a proxy vote [/proxyvoting].

Voting

• Polls will be open on 7 May from 7am to 10pm.
• Details of your polling station will be on your poll card which you will receive between 26 to 30 March. Please note that a number of polling stations have changed following the review.

Key dates for elections on 7 May 

• Distribution of poll cards will be between 26 to 30 March for electors who were registered by 19 March
• Deadline for those interested in standing as a candidate is 4pm on Thursday 9 April
• Statement of persons nominated will be published by 4pm Friday 10 April
• First issue of postal votes will be sent out for electors who have a postal vote in place by 9 April on Friday 17 April
• Deadline for new applications to register in time to vote at the above election: Monday 20 April
• Deadline for submitting applications to vote by post at the above election: 5pm, Tuesday 21 April 
• Second issue of poll cards for electors who registered from 20 March to 20 April on Thursday 23 April
• First issue of postal votes will be sent out for electors who applied after 9 April and by 5pm on 21 April on Thursday 23 April
• Deadline for submitting applications to vote by proxy at the above election: 5pm, Tuesday 28 April 
• Deadline for submitting applications for a voter authority certificate at the above election: 5pm, Tuesday 28 April 
• Counting of votes Friday 8 May

Results

The results will be published on the website as they are declared at the count which takes place on 8 May.

Bablake

Binley and Willenhall

Cheylesmore

Earlsdon

Foleshill

Henley

Holbrooks

Longford

Lower Stoke

Radford

Sherbourne

St Michael's

Tile Hill and Canley

Upper Stoke

Wainbody

Whoberley

Woodlands

Wyken

Also published on the website after the count will be the turnout by ward by polling station. This will include the electorate allocated to each station and the number of postal votes returned for each ward.

A live stream from the count at CBS Arena will be available to view on 8 May [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCWKbFrpqqw].

There will also be a live stream of the declarations of results [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGTVAanC9aM].

This year the following will also be published on our website:

• The number of polling station electors who applied for, but were not issued with, a ballot paper
• The number of polling station electors who were not issued with a ballot paper and who later returned with accepted ID and were issued with a ballot paper

Complaints 

If you have a comment or complaint about the City Council's running of the elections, you should refer them to the Council's online complaints form. [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/5/contact_the_council/545/comments_compliments_and_complaints]

If you have a complaint about missing or incorrect imprints on candidates materials, you should report it through the Electoral Commission portal [https://url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/iL26CoYMvH2YJggf1f1IpyFv7?domain=electoralcommission.org.uk]

If you have a complaint or issue about a candidate, agent or campaigner and you think that electoral malpractice has taken place, you should report this online. [https://myaccount.coventry.gov.uk/en/service/electoral_malpractice_reporting_form]

Information for candidates at elections on 7 May 2026

Full guidance for candidates and agents can be found on the Electoral Commission website [https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/candidate-or-agent/local-elections-england].

Candidates can request a copy of the register of electors and absent votes list for the area they are standing. To request the lists please email to candidates@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:candidates@coventry.gov.uk]

Below are the key dates for the election.

Nomination papers

Nomination packs for City Council elections can be downloaded from the Electoral Commission website [https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/candidate-or-agent/local-elections-england].

The last time for submission of nomination papers is 4pm Thursday 9 April 2026.

Informal checks can be carried out on nominations prior to submission. To book an appointment for an informal check and nomination paper submission please use the following booking site [https://outlook.office.com/book/InformalCheckingofNominationsSubmission@coventryCC.onmicrosoft.com/?ismsaljsauthenabled]

It is recommended that you book an appointment to submit your nomination paper. Please contact the team on 024 7697 5226.

Election Agents

Candidates can appoint someone to act as their Election Agent. The agent then becomes responsible for organising their campaign and submission of election expenses.

For more advice and guidance please visit the Electoral Commission website [https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/candidate-or-agent/local-elections-england]

Appointment of Polling and Counting Agents

Candidates are able to appoint polling agents to attend and observe the poll in the polling stations and counting agents to observe the count process. All validly nominated candidates will receive a form from the Returning Officer after close of nominations for this purpose.

Complaints

If you have a comment or complaint about the City Council's running of the elections, you should refer them to the Council's online complaints form. [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/5/contact_the_council/545/comments_compliments_and_complaints]

If you have a complaint or issue about a candidate, agent or campaigner and you think that electoral malpractice has taken place, you should report this online. [https://myaccount.coventry.gov.uk/en/service/electoral_malpractice_reporting_form]

If you have a complaint about imprints on candidates literature you should report it to the Electoral Commission - Report a missing imprint | Electoral Commission [https://url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/iL26CoYMvH2YJggf1f1IpyFv7?domain=electoralcommission.org.uk]

Information from Candidates' and Agents' briefing

• Presentation from prospective Councillor event. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8529/prospective-councillor-briefing-presentation]
• Presentation from Candidates' and Agents' briefing [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/7772/candidates-and-agents-briefing-presentation]

Notice of Election

Coventry

Election of Councillors for the Wards

1. Nomination papers must be delivered to the Returning Officer, Council House, Earl Street, Coventry, CV1 5RR between Friday 9.30am and 4pm on any working day from the date of publication of this notice (excluding bank holidays) but no later than  4 pm on Thursday, 9 April 2026.
2. Nomination papers may be obtained from the offices of the Returning Officer, Council House, Earl Street, Coventry, CV1 5RR, during the times stated above.
3. If any election is contested the poll will take place on Thursday, 7 May 2026.
4. Applications to register to vote must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 12 midnight on Monday 20 April 2026. Applications to register to vote can be made online [https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote].   
5. Applications, amendments or cancellations of postal votes and amendments or cancellations of proxy votes must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at Council House, Earl Street, Coventry, CV1 5RR by 5 pm on Tuesday, 21 April 2026.
6. Applications for a Voter Authority Certificate or an Anonymous Elector’s Document valid for this election must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026. Applications can be made online [https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate]. 
7. New applications to vote by proxy at this election must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at Council House, Earl Street, Coventry, CV1 5RR by 5 pm on Tuesday, 28 April 2026.
8. Applications to vote by emergency proxy at this election must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at Council House, Earl Street, Coventry, CV1 5RR by 5pm on Thursday, 7 May 2026.

Julie Newman
Returning Officer
Dated:  26 March 2026

Printed and Published by the Returning Officer, Council House, Earl Street, Coventry CV1 5RR.

Election expenses

Guidance for candidates concerning election expenses

The Electoral Commission publishes guidance for candidates and agents.

Further guidance around election expenses [http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-subject/political-parties-campaigning-and-donations/candidate-spending-and-donations-at-elections] can be obtained from the Electoral Commission.

Turnout figures by polling station

Below is a list of stations, the electorate for each station and the turnout will be populated after 7 May 2026.

Statements of persons nominated and notice of poll - Coventry City Council elections

• Bablake
• Binley and Willenhall
• Cheylesmore
• Earlsdon
• Foleshill
• Henley
• Holbrooks
• Longford
• Lower Stoke
• Radford
• Sherbourne
• St Michael's
• Tile Hill and Canley
• Upper Stoke
• Wainbody
• Whoberley
• Woodlands
• Wyken