The last Exeter-wide Exeter City Council (ECC) elections were in May 2024. The City Council is considering whether to request the cancellation of the May 2026 ECC elections because of local government reorganisation.
The City Council needs to tell the Government by 13th January whether it wants to cancel the May 2026 elections.
Cancelling May’s City Council elections might mean that Exeter residents wouldn’t have a chance to vote on ECC’s record until May 2027, ie 3 years after the 2024 elections.
The independent Electoral Commission has stated that capacity
constraints are not a legitimate reason for delaying long-planned
elections; and has warned of a clear conflict of interest if
existing Councils can decide how long they remain answerable to
voters. Also, the Labour leader of Plymouth City Council has
confirmed that its elections will go ahead.
This ePetition ran from 28/12/2025 to 19/02/2026 and has now finished.
290 people signed this ePetition.
Thank you for submitting your petition ‘Protect Exeter residents’ right to vote – don’t cancel the May 2026 elections'.
Since the submission of your petition, the Government has reversed its earlier decision to cancel a number of local elections, and it has been confirmed that the May elections in Exeter will now go ahead.
This means the outcome sought by your petition, that residents should be able to vote for Exeter City Councillors in May, will now be delivered.