Live: West of England mayoral elections 2025

5.30am

Defying both the pollsters and observers who predicted a close contest of “paper-thin” margins between Godwin and Page, it was Reform UK’s Arron Banks who finished second with 5,995 votes less than the winner. Read the conclusion here.

Exodus of media scrum begins; the front security marqee is dismantled; lectern is removed; the tables of the counting area making a swift exit to the back of a lorry.

4.55am

“I’m a West Country Girl through and through, spending the past six months getting to know our region even better has been such an enormous privilege and reconfirmed how much I love this place and how proud I now am to represent the West Country, nationally and internationally,” said Helen Godwin in her victory speech.

4.52am

Helen Godwin is the new mayor for the West of England, with 51,197 votes across Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

4.32am

Results are anticipated any moment now as all candidates and supporters have gathered in the declaration area

.4.20am

Helen Godwin was welcomed with a loud applause by fellow party members, as she entered Oasis Academy.

Helen Godwin, Labour’s metro mayor candidate has just arrived at Oasis Academy pic.twitter.com/SKXVmwM6bc

— Karen Johnson (@karenswaron) May 2, 2025

3.32am

While there is still no sign of Helen Godwin, Conservative candidate Steve Smith has just arrived here in Brislington.

Smith’s campaign relied on steady engagement with local communities – photo: Milan Perera

Meanwhile the count for Bath & North East Somerset Constituency at University of Bath has been completed. Count for all other constituencies is currently underway.

3.26am

All cameras are pointed towards the entrance of Oasis Academy, with rumours of Helen Godwin arriving soon doing the rounds. Her party contingent have lined up at the entrance anticipating her arrival.

Labour contingent awaiting the arrival of Helen Godwin – photo: Milan Perera

2.53am

Damien Egan, MP for Bristol North East is among the high-profile Labour figures who have come down to bolster support for Helen Godwin.

Damien Egan is the MP for Bristol North East – photo: Milan Perera

2.37am

Counting ballots is underway for all areas.

2.03am

Arron Banks, Reform UK candidate has just arrived at Oasis Academy.

Banks, who identified himself as a political outsider, ran a high-energy campaign marked by gregarious antics, sharp media presence, and a late surge of momentum following a high-profile visit from Nigel Farage to the region – photo: Milan Perera

1.40am

Lib Dem candidate and concillor for Bath ward of Walcot, Oli Henman has arrived.

Oli Henman and his team were in the declaration area at Oasis Academy where electorates for the West of England region have just been announced pic.twitter.com/x3DxagdBzJ

— Karen Johnson (@karenswaron) May 2, 2025

1.35am

Electorates for Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire have now been announced. They are as follows:

• Bristol – 326,266
• Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire – 682,951

1.30am
By Karen Johnson

Voter turnout for the West of England mayoral elections today is 30%

This is lower than the last mayoral elections in 2021 when the region recorded its highest ever turnout of 36.61%.

1.07am

The count is already underway for Bath & North East Somerset while the verification of the ballots for Bristol North West is yet to be completed.

Tony Dyer, current leader of Bristol City Council, and Marvin Rees, former mayor having a quick chat amdist the bustle of the count floor. pic.twitter.com/ZvF75EJpG5

— Milan Gregory Perera (@stbonscc) May 2, 2025

12.34am

Verification of ballots has been completed for Bristol Central, Bristol North East and Bristol East, while South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset are still underway.

12.21am

Green candidate Mary Page has just arrived at the count hall in Brislington. We’ve also been told that the verification of ballots for Bristol south has been completed, with a few more constituencies due to be completed soon. The count will only begin once the verification of all ballots has been completed.

12.08am

Voter turnout figures to be released in about 30 minutes time.

11.56pm

How could we ever get through the night without some caffeine? The nice people at Oasis Academy have opened a small cafe for us here tonight. Sandwiches, baguettes, wraps, brownies, cupcakes, tea and coffee are on offer.

There’s a cafe here at Oasis Academy that’s fuelling our coffee and snack needs. pic.twitter.com/PDLWukMN2s

— Karen Johnson (@karenswaron) May 1, 2025

11.32pm

Green councillor for Southville and leader of Bristol City Council, Tony Dyer has shared the sentiment of the pollsters of the possibility of a “close election”. He believes “diversity in political opinion” across the West of England region can be seen as a strength if done properly. Despite a positive response for the Greens through the campaign, he believes that the support can’t be taken for “granted” as people’s feelings and expectations can always change.

Tony Dyer has been a councillor of Southville since 2021 – photo: Milan Perera

11.09pm
Marvin Rees, former mayor of Bristol has just arrived at Oasis Academy. We have also spotted leader of Bristol City Council Tony Dyer walking around the count floor.

Marvin Rees was the last mayor of Bristol before it switched to the committee system – photo: Karen Johnson

10.52pm

Ballot boxes have now been opened and counting has officially begun.
We have also been told independent candidate Ian Scott has arrived at Oasis Academy.

Ballot boxes have now been opened at Oasis Academy in Brislington. pic.twitter.com/nyPfkhSqbe

— Karen Johnson (@karenswaron) May 1, 2025

10.30pm

The first set of ballot boxes have arrived at Oasis Academy in Brislington.

 

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10.03pm

The polling stations have now officially closed.

The ballot boxes we are told can start arriving at Brislington any moment now but the results can only be expected in the wee hours of tomorrow morning.

9pm

Welcome to Bristol24/7’s live blog of the West of England mayoral election. Eligible voters from Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire have been voting today to choose the region’s next mayor with polling stations closing at 10pm.

Counting of the ballot papers will then take place at two locations in Bristol: Oasis Academy in Brislington and City Academy in Redfield.

I’m here at Oasis Academy with my fellow Bristol24/7 reporter, Milan Perera, and we’ll both be bringing you all of the twists and turns throughout the night and into the morning until our new mayor is expected to be announced in the wee small hours of Friday.

Please leave your comments on this blog through the evening and follow along on social media too. We’ll also be live tweeting on X, bringing you the latest news and of course the all-important snack situation from the count.

Main photo: Karen Johnson

Read next:

• From EBLN lessons to reducing car dependency – WECA mayoral hustings
• ‘Who’s going to win? It’s too close to call’
• ‘The next West of England mayor must deliver for the place rather than for their party’