Bedford mayoral election, 2011
Encyclopedia
The Bedford
mayoral election, 2011 for the office of Mayor of Bedford was held on 5 May 2011, being the fourth Bedford mayoral election since the post was created by Bedford Borough Council in 2002. This is because, unlike most positions created at that time, there have already been three elections as the first Mayor, Frank Branston
, died in August 2009. In the subsequent election Liberal Democrat
Dave Hodgson
was elected Mayor, and he was elected for a second time on 5 May 2011, beating the Conservative candidate in the second round of counting.
, successfully defended the position he first won in 2009. The post of directly-elected mayor was created in 2002 after a referendum saw nearly 67% of those taking part voting in favour.
. The Green party's Gregory Paszynski stood to represent their party. The Conservatives
announced on 27 September 2010 that they would be nominating John Guthrie as their candidate. On 18 March 2011 Labour
announced that Michelle Harris was to be their candidate. Independent
candidate Tony Hare also stood for election.
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
mayoral election, 2011 for the office of Mayor of Bedford was held on 5 May 2011, being the fourth Bedford mayoral election since the post was created by Bedford Borough Council in 2002. This is because, unlike most positions created at that time, there have already been three elections as the first Mayor, Frank Branston
Frank Branston
Frank Branston was a journalist, novelist and newspaper proprietor, and the first directly elected mayor of the Borough of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England.-Early life and career:...
, died in August 2009. In the subsequent election Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
Dave Hodgson
Dave Hodgson
Dave Hodgson is the directly elected mayor of the Borough of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England. Hodgson is the second elected mayor to represent the Liberal Democrats in the United Kingdom....
was elected Mayor, and he was elected for a second time on 5 May 2011, beating the Conservative candidate in the second round of counting.
Background
The 2011 election was the fourth election for the Mayoralty of Bedford. The sitting Mayor, Dave HodgsonDave Hodgson
Dave Hodgson is the directly elected mayor of the Borough of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England. Hodgson is the second elected mayor to represent the Liberal Democrats in the United Kingdom....
, successfully defended the position he first won in 2009. The post of directly-elected mayor was created in 2002 after a referendum saw nearly 67% of those taking part voting in favour.
Candidates
The incumbent Mayor Dave Hodgson defended the Mayoralty on behalf of the Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
. The Green party's Gregory Paszynski stood to represent their party. The Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
announced on 27 September 2010 that they would be nominating John Guthrie as their candidate. On 18 March 2011 Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
announced that Michelle Harris was to be their candidate. Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidate Tony Hare also stood for election.
| Bedford Mayoral Election 2011 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Name | 1st Choice Votes | % | 2nd Choice Votes | Total | |
| Dave Hodgson Dave Hodgson Dave Hodgson is the directly elected mayor of the Borough of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England. Hodgson is the second elected mayor to represent the Liberal Democrats in the United Kingdom.... |
19,966 | 4,325 | 24,291 | |||
| John Guthrie | 17,501 | 1,824 | 19,325 | |||
| Michelle Harris | 11,197 | |||||
| Tony Hare | 3,133 | |||||
| Greg Paszynski | 1,211 | |||||
| Total | 6,149 | 43,636 |