← Torridge (all cycles) · 4 May 2023 cohort

Torridge 2023

Local elections held 4 May 2023.

16 ward races

36 seats

30 elected below the proportional quota

83.3% of seats below quota

How to read this page

Each race below shows the share of valid ballots the marginal elected candidate actually won, and compares it to the proportional quota: the share that would be needed to be guaranteed that seat under any proportional voting method (1 seats + 1). For a 1-seat ward the quota is 50%; for 2 seats, 33.3%; for 3 seats, 25%.

Where the actual winning share fell below the quota, we show the gap as points under par — the editorial indictment. Above-par results are just majority mandates and pass without comment. The voting method is the subject of every observation here. Named candidates appear as the public election record requires; the cause being audited is the voting method, not the individuals. See the methodology page for derivations.

If votes were counted by party

Across the 16 wards in this cycle, parties received the vote totals below. The proportional column shows what each party would have won if the 36 seats had been allocated to those vote totals in proportion (how, with caveats). The Δ column is the actual seat count minus the proportional seat count — positive numbers are parties First-Past-the-Post over-represented in this council, negative are parties it under-represented.

Party	Votes	Vote %	Seats won	% of seats	Proportional seats	Proportional %	Δ
Independent	11,236	33.3%	16	44.4%	12	33.3%	+4
Conservative and Unionist Party	8,429	25.0%	6	16.7%	9	25.0%	-3
Liberal Democrats	7,885	23.3%	8	22.2%	9	25.0%	-1
Green Party	3,515	10.4%	4	11.1%	4	11.1%	0
Labour Party	2,273	6.7%	2	5.6%	2	5.6%	0
UK Independence Party (UKIP)	231	0.7%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Britain First	204	0.6%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Total	33,773	100.0%	36	100.0%	36	100.0%	0

Vote share vs seats won

The top bar is each party's share of votes cast in this council. Below, one square per seat, coloured by the party that won it — first the actual First-Past-the-Post result, then what a proportional method would have produced from the same vote totals. Divergence between the bar and the actual grid is the indictment of the method.

Vote share

Actual seats

Proportional seats

Wards in this council

Sorted with the largest gap below the quota first. Click any ward to jump to its full result.

Bideford South · 2 seats · won at 17.0% · +16.4 pts below quota
Westward Ho! · 2 seats · won at 17.2% · +16.2 pts below quota
Bideford West · 2 seats · won at 19.6% · +13.7 pts below quota
Two Rivers & Three Moors · 2 seats · won at 22.6% · +10.7 pts below quota
Northam · 3 seats · won at 14.3% · +10.7 pts below quota
Monkleigh & Putford · 2 seats · won at 23.1% · +10.3 pts below quota
Bideford East · 3 seats · won at 14.8% · +10.2 pts below quota
Broadheath · 2 seats · won at 25.1% · +8.2 pts below quota
Great Torrington · 3 seats · won at 17.1% · +7.9 pts below quota
Bideford North · 3 seats · won at 17.7% · +7.3 pts below quota
Shebbear & Langtree · 2 seats · won at 28.2% · +5.1 pts below quota
Hartland · 3 seats · won at 20.2% · +4.8 pts below quota
Milton & Tamarside · 2 seats · won at 29.4% · +3.9 pts below quota
Holsworthy · 2 seats · won at 29.4% · +3.9 pts below quota
Winkleigh · 1 seat · won at 48.6% · +1.4 pts below quota
Appledore · 2 seats · won at 44.5% · above quota

Race results

Bideford South · 2-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 17.0% Proportional quota 33.3% Difference +16.4 pts below quota Valid ballots 1,178

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Brenton, D.	Labour Party	247	21.0%	Elected
2	Inch, S.	Independent	200	17.0%	Elected
3	McLean, J.	Labour Party	199	16.9%
4	Mathers, S.	Green Party	166	14.1%
5	Lawrence, P.	Independent	162	13.8%
6	Green, P.	Britain First	108	9.2%
7	Townsend, A.	Britain First	96	8.1%

Electorate 2,522 · Ballots cast 1,178 · Back to ward index

Westward Ho! · 2-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 17.2% Proportional quota 33.3% Difference +16.2 pts below quota Valid ballots 1,947

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Hodson, C.	Independent	494	25.4%	Elected
2	Bach, L.	Independent	334	17.2%	Elected
3	Bruins, B.	Liberal Democrats	277	14.2%
4	Sargent, D.	Independent	243	12.5%
5	Singh, A.	Independent	241	12.4%
6	Hind, K.	Conservative and Unionist Party	183	9.4%
7	Ferguson, P.	Conservative and Unionist Party	175	9.0%

Electorate 3,004 · Ballots cast 1,947 · Back to ward index

Bideford West · 2-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 19.6% Proportional quota 33.3% Difference +13.7 pts below quota Valid ballots 948

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Hawkins, C.	Independent	187	19.7%	Elected
2	Brenton, A.	Labour Party	186	19.6%	Elected
3	Langford, S.	Independent	178	18.8%
4	Inch, T.	Independent	161	17.0%
5	Murdoch, J.	Conservative and Unionist Party	128	13.5%
6	Taylor, M.	Conservative and Unionist Party	108	11.4%

Electorate 2,189 · Ballots cast 948 · Back to ward index

Two Rivers & Three Moors · 2-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 22.6% Proportional quota 33.3% Difference +10.7 pts below quota Valid ballots 2,270

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Lock, R.	Conservative and Unionist Party	609	26.8%	Elected
2	Elliott, T.	Conservative and Unionist Party	513	22.6%	Elected
3	Allen, R.	Liberal Democrats	476	21.0%
4	Davey-Potts, C.	Liberal Democrats	452	19.9%
5	Clarke, R.	Independent	220	9.7%

Electorate 3,301 · Ballots cast 2,270 · Back to ward index

Northam · 3-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 14.3% Proportional quota 25.0% Difference +10.7 pts below quota Valid ballots 3,585

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Leather, C.	Independent	674	18.8%	Elected
2	Whittaker, J.	Conservative and Unionist Party	530	14.8%	Elected
3	Lo-Vel, W.	Green Party	513	14.3%	Elected
4	Manley, J.	Independent	485	13.5%
5	Newman-McKie, S.	Liberal Democrats	471	13.1%
6	Woodhouse, C.	Conservative and Unionist Party	334	9.3%
7	Himan, J.	Independent	310	8.6%
8	Brading, H.	Independent	268	7.5%

Electorate 4,104 · Ballots cast 3,585 · Back to ward index

Monkleigh & Putford · 2-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 23.1% Proportional quota 33.3% Difference +10.3 pts below quota Valid ballots 2,328

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Pennington, P.	Independent	567	24.4%	Elected
2	Hicks, R.	Independent	537	23.1%	Elected
3	Gent, R.	Green Party	355	15.2%
4	Collins, S.	Conservative and Unionist Party	339	14.6%
5	Lowe, J.	Labour Party	312	13.4%
6	Wilton-Love, J.	Conservative and Unionist Party	218	9.4%

Electorate 3,185 · Ballots cast 2,328 · Back to ward index

Bideford East · 3-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 14.8% Proportional quota 25.0% Difference +10.2 pts below quota Valid ballots 2,617

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Gubb, J.	Independent	459	17.5%	Elected
2	Craigie, J.	Independent	392	15.0%	Elected
3	Thomas, H.	Green Party	387	14.8%	Elected
4	Radford, J.	Labour Party	316	12.1%
5	Mc Kenzie, J.	Independent	309	11.8%
6	Hellyer, L.	Conservative and Unionist Party	299	11.4%
7	Hellyer, J.	Conservative and Unionist Party	257	9.8%
8	Sherborne, O.	Conservative and Unionist Party	198	7.6%

Electorate 4,072 · Ballots cast 2,617 · Back to ward index

Broadheath · 2-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 25.1% Proportional quota 33.3% Difference +8.2 pts below quota Valid ballots 1,788

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Hackett, P.	Independent	547	30.6%	Elected
2	Gibson, S.	Conservative and Unionist Party	449	25.1%	Elected
3	Green, S.	Liberal Democrats	412	23.0%
4	Barriball, G.	Conservative and Unionist Party	380	21.3%

Electorate 3,308 · Ballots cast 1,788 · Back to ward index

Great Torrington · 3-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 17.1% Proportional quota 25.0% Difference +7.9 pts below quota Valid ballots 3,242

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Bright, C.	Liberal Democrats	751	23.2%	Elected
2	Bright, L.	Liberal Democrats	588	18.1%	Elected
3	Smith, D.	Liberal Democrats	553	17.1%	Elected
4	Brown, M.	Independent	327	10.1%
5	Darch, R.	Conservative and Unionist Party	318	9.8%
6	Funnell, K.	Green Party	261	8.1%
7	Hewitt, P.	Labour Party	230	7.1%
8	Wilton-Love, H.	Conservative and Unionist Party	214	6.6%

Electorate 4,350 · Ballots cast 3,242 · Back to ward index

Bideford North · 3-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 17.7% Proportional quota 25.0% Difference +7.3 pts below quota Valid ballots 2,853

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Christie, P.	Green Party	871	30.5%	Elected
2	Johns, T.	Liberal Democrats	517	18.1%	Elected
3	Bushby, D.	Independent	505	17.7%	Elected
4	Radford, N.	Labour Party	432	15.1%
5	McGeough, D.	Conservative and Unionist Party	431	15.1%
6	Dezart, G.	UK Independence Party (UKIP)	97	3.4%

Electorate 4,407 · Ballots cast 2,853 · Back to ward index

Shebbear & Langtree · 2-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 28.2% Proportional quota 33.3% Difference +5.1 pts below quota Valid ballots 2,480

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Cottle-Hunkin, C.	Liberal Democrats	892	36.0%	Elected
2	Wheatley, C.	Liberal Democrats	700	28.2%	Elected
3	Hurley, D.	Conservative and Unionist Party	540	21.8%
4	Jupp, D.	Conservative and Unionist Party	348	14.0%

Electorate 3,094 · Ballots cast 2,480 · Back to ward index

Hartland · 3-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 20.2% Proportional quota 25.0% Difference +4.8 pts below quota Valid ballots 3,164

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Andrews, S.	Liberal Democrats	763	24.1%	Elected
2	Dart, A.	Independent	755	23.9%	Elected
3	Harding, S.	Conservative and Unionist Party	640	20.2%	Elected
4	Boughton, R.	Conservative and Unionist Party	567	17.9%
5	Julian, R.	Independent	439	13.9%

Electorate 4,757 · Ballots cast 3,164 · Back to ward index

Milton & Tamarside · 2-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 29.4% Proportional quota 33.3% Difference +3.9 pts below quota Valid ballots 1,782

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	James, K.	Independent	659	37.0%	Elected
2	Hepple, K.	Independent	524	29.4%	Elected
3	Beresford, T.	Green Party	374	21.0%
4	Barrett, T.	Labour Party	225	12.6%

Electorate 3,381 · Ballots cast 1,782 · Back to ward index

Holsworthy · 2-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 29.4% Proportional quota 33.3% Difference +3.9 pts below quota Valid ballots 1,564

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Piper, L.	Liberal Democrats	541	34.6%	Elected
2	Shepherd, P.	Independent	460	29.4%	Elected
3	Hosie, E.	Liberal Democrats	255	16.3%
4	Stevens, D.	Conservative and Unionist Party	166	10.6%
5	Dymond, M.	Conservative and Unionist Party	142	9.1%

Electorate 2,438 · Ballots cast 1,564 · Back to ward index

Winkleigh · single-seat

Marginal winner 48.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +1.4 pts below quota Valid ballots 706

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Newton, S.	Conservative and Unionist Party	343	48.6%	Elected
2	Middleton, S.	Liberal Democrats	237	33.6%
3	Findlay, A.	Labour Party	126	17.8%

Electorate 1,751 · Ballots cast 706 · Back to ward index

Appledore · 2-seat (bloc vote)

Marginal winner 44.5% Proportional quota 33.3% Difference −11.2 pts Valid ballots 1,321

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Ford, L.	Independent	599	45.3%	Elected
2	Hames, P.	Green Party	588	44.5%	Elected
3	Johnson, N.	UK Independence Party (UKIP)	134	10.1%

Electorate 2,925 · Ballots cast 1,321 · Back to ward index