St Albans City and District Council election, 2002
![](../I/m/St_Albans_UK_local_election_2002_map.svg.png)
The 2002 St Albans City and District Council election took place on 2 May 2002 to elect members of St Albans District Council in Hertfordshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.[1]
After the election, the composition of the council was
- Conservative 21
- Liberal Democrats 20
- Labour 15
- Independent 1
- Vacant 1[2]
Background
Before the election the Liberal Democrats were the largest party on the council with 23 councillors, compared to 19 for the Conservatives, 15 for Labour and there was 1 independent.[3] 7 councillors stood down at the election, Liberal Democrats John Henchley, John Peters and Brian Roberts, Conservatives Richard Blossom, Patrick Johnston and Julian Turner, and Labour's David Enright.[3]
The Liberal Democrats targeted Labour held seats in Ashley and St Peter's, while Labour aimed to pick up a seat in Cunningham.[3] As well as the 3 main political parties, voters could also vote for the No Candidate Deserves My Vote! party in some wards, which was standing in order to give voters the chance to register their abstention at the polls.[4]
Voting trial
A trial took place in Sopwell and Verulam wards under which voters could vote either by internet, phone, post or at the polling station using a touch screen system.[5][6] The internet voting trial was funded by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions as part of an attempt to get more people involved in elections.[7] As a result of the trial one of the wards set the fastest declaration time at only 4 minutes after the close of polling.[8] However turnout was actually down from 24.1% to 23.3% in Sopwell ward and down from 41.9% to 38.9% in Verulam ward compared to the last election in 2000.[9]
Election result
The Conservatives gained 3 seats from the Liberal Democrats in Colney Heath, Harpenden North and Sandridge to become the largest party on the council with 21 councillors.[9] The Liberal Democrats dropped to 20 seats, but did gain an increased share of the votes, while Labour stayed on 15 seats.[9] There also remained 1 independent councillor and one seat was vacant aftet the death of Verulam Conservative councillor Michael Pugh on 22 April 2002.[10] Overall turnout at the election was 38.22%,[11] up from 33.56% at the 2000 election.[12]
St Albans local election result 2002[11][13] | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | ||
Conservative | 8 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 38.1 | 35.8 | 13,722 | -4.4% | ||
Liberal Democrat | 7 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 33.3 | 38.8 | 14,896 | +6.1% | ||
Labour | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28.6 | 25.1 | 9,632 | +1.2% | ||
No Candidate Deserves My Vote! | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 117 | +0.3% | ||
Ward results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Malachy Pakenham | 768 | 41.3 | -7.0 | |
Liberal Democrat | Alan Marshall | 678 | 36.5 | +9.4 | |
Conservative | Alec Campbell | 382 | 20.5 | -4.1 | |
No Candidate Deserves My Vote! | Rosemary Flanagan | 31 | 1.7 | +1.7 | |
Majority | 90 | 4.8 | -16.5 | ||
Turnout | 1,859 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Roma Mills | 993 | |||
Labour | Martin Leach | 871 | |||
Conservative | Margaret Brownlie | 343 | |||
Conservative | Pamela Farley | 339 | |||
Liberal Democrat | Richard Biddle | 323 | |||
Liberal Democrat | Debbie Williams | 267 | |||
Turnout | 3,136 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrat | Joyce Lusby | 1,095 | 59.2 | +11.9 | |
Labour | Taufiq Lodhi | 423 | 22.9 | -5.7 | |
Conservative | Louisa-Jane Rosalki | 331 | 17.9 | -6.2 | |
Majority | 672 | 36.3 | +17.6 | ||
Turnout | 1,849 | ||||
Liberal Democrat hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | David Clarke | 621 | 44.0 | ||
Liberal Democrat | Christopher Brazier | 514 | 36.4 | ||
Labour | David Mclean | 276 | 19.6 | ||
Majority | 107 | 7.6 | |||
Turnout | 1,411 | ||||
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrat | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrat | Robert Prowse | 842 | 43.3 | +0.3 | |
Labour | Andrew Gilson | 699 | 36.0 | -0.7 | |
Conservative | Diana Hall | 402 | 20.7 | +0.4 | |
Majority | 143 | 7.3 | +0.9 | ||
Turnout | 1,943 | ||||
Liberal Democrat hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrat | Alison Steer | 1,013 | 46.7 | +1.1 | |
Conservative | Victor Holley | 830 | 38.3 | -1.4 | |
Labour | David Crew | 324 | 15.0 | +2.0 | |
Majority | 183 | 8.4 | +2.5 | ||
Turnout | 2,167 | ||||
Liberal Democrat hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Richard Grenfell-Hill | 935 | 47.9 | -7.4 | |
Liberal Democrat | John Coad | 812 | 41.6 | +6.9 | |
Labour | Rosemary Ross | 206 | 10.5 | +0.4 | |
Majority | 123 | 6.3 | -14.3 | ||
Turnout | 1,953 | ||||
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrat | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Teresa Heritage | 1,254 | 63.4 | -2.5 | |
Liberal Democrat | Christopher Canfield | 461 | 23.3 | +3.7 | |
Labour | David Lawlor | 263 | 13.3 | -1.1 | |
Majority | 793 | 40.1 | -5.2 | ||
Turnout | 1,978 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Robert Wicks | 1,211 | 60.1 | -7.0 | |
Liberal Democrat | Nigel Jenkinson | 505 | 25.1 | +6.3 | |
Labour | Benjamin Dearman | 299 | 14.8 | +0.6 | |
Majority | 706 | 35.0 | -13.3 | ||
Turnout | 2,015 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Etheldreda Gordon | 1,075 | 61.9 | +2.9 | |
Conservative | Geoffrey Brooking | 409 | 23.5 | -2.4 | |
Liberal Democrat | Carol Prowse | 253 | 14.6 | -0.5 | |
Majority | 666 | 38.4 | +5.3 | ||
Turnout | 1,737 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrat | Thomas Clegg | 942 | 47.5 | +0.4 | |
Conservative | John Foster | 724 | 36.5 | -1.4 | |
Labour | John Baughan | 319 | 16.1 | +1.0 | |
Majority | 218 | 11.0 | +1.8 | ||
Turnout | 1,985 | ||||
Liberal Democrat hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrat | Michael Ketley | 1,353 | 57.8 | +16.5 | |
Conservative | Roderick Douglas | 667 | 28.5 | -13.8 | |
Labour | Janet Smith | 321 | 13.7 | -2.7 | |
Majority | 686 | 29.3 | |||
Turnout | 2,341 | ||||
Liberal Democrat hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrat | Aislinn Lee | 1,276 | 65.5 | +27.7 | |
Conservative | James Vessey | 418 | 21.5 | -22.0 | |
Labour | Janet Blackwell | 253 | 13.0 | -5.7 | |
Majority | 858 | 44.0 | |||
Turnout | 1,947 | ||||
Liberal Democrat hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrat | Patricia Schofield | 997 | 52.3 | ||
Conservative | Paul Finigan | 753 | 39.5 | ||
Labour | Clive Newport | 158 | 8.3 | ||
Majority | 244 | 12.8 | |||
Turnout | 1,908 | ||||
Liberal Democrat hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Beric Read | 548 | 41.3 | ||
Liberal Democrat | William Morris | 531 | 40.0 | ||
Labour | Christine Dawson | 226 | 17.0 | ||
No Candidate Deserves My Vote! | Cliff Miller | 21 | 1.6 | ||
Majority | 17 | 1.3 | |||
Turnout | 1,326 | ||||
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrat | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Dawn Pratley | 664 | 58.3 | -2.1 | |
Conservative | Marilyn Madden | 242 | 21.3 | -5.5 | |
Liberal Democrat | Moira Seton | 196 | 17.2 | +4.4 | |
No Candidate Deserves My Vote! | Michael Horan | 36 | 3.2 | +3.2 | |
Majority | 422 | 37.0 | +3.5 | ||
Turnout | 1,138 | 23.3 | -0.8 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Winifred Dunleavy | 783 | 43.7 | +0.3 | |
Liberal Democrat | Ilyas Khan | 684 | 38.1 | +0.8 | |
Conservative | Virginia Walker | 326 | 18.2 | -1.1 | |
Majority | 99 | 5.6 | -0.5 | ||
Turnout | 1,793 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Susan Carr | 1,086 | 55.3 | -0.9 | |
Liberal Democrat | Jadwiga Baillie | 584 | 29.7 | +0.2 | |
Labour | Patricia Allen | 295 | 15.0 | +0.8 | |
Majority | 502 | 25.6 | -1.1 | ||
Turnout | 1,965 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Pauline Buffham | 934 | 48.7 | +1.5 | |
Liberal Democrat | Martin Frearson | 711 | 37.1 | -5.1 | |
Labour | Linda Spiri | 243 | 12.7 | +2.1 | |
No Candidate Deserves My Vote! | Peter Goodall | 29 | 1.5 | +1.5 | |
Majority | 223 | 11.6 | +6.6 | ||
Turnout | 1,917 | 38.9 | -3.0 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Keith Stammers | 967 | 48.4 | -2.7 | |
Liberal Democrat | Paul Edelston | 859 | 43.0 | +3.3 | |
Labour | Mary Cheale | 173 | 8.7 | -0.5 | |
Majority | 108 | 5.4 | -6.0 | ||
Turnout | 1,999 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
By-elections between 2002 and 2003
A by-election was held in Verulam ward on 27 June 2002 after the death of Conservative councillor Michael Pugh.[14] The seat was gained for the Liberal Democrats by Martin Frearson with a majority of 24 votes over the Conservatives, after Frearson had come second to the Conservatives in the seat at the council election in May.[14]
Turnout increased by 2% from the May council election and the number of spoiled ballots dropped to 2 from 30 at the May election when the trial of electronic voting had taken place in the ward.[14]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrat | Martin Frearson | 960 | 46.6 | +9.5 | |
Conservative | Marilyn Madden | 936 | 45.5 | -3.2 | |
Labour | Linda Spiri | 145 | 7.0 | -5.7 | |
No Candidate Deserves My Vote | Peter Goodall | 17 | 0.8 | -0.7 | |
Majority | 24 | 1.2 | |||
Turnout | 2,058 | 40.9 | |||
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
References
- ↑ "St Albans". BBC News Online. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
- ↑ "Election results; Local Elections". The Times. 2002-05-03. p. 6.
- 1 2 3 Morris, Owen (15 April 2002). "Parties ready to do battle". Hertfordshire County Publications. NewsBank.
- ↑ "Protest vote". Liverpool Echo. 2002-04-06. p. 4.
- ↑ "Local election campaign round-up". guardian.co.uk. 2002-04-29. Retrieved 2002-04-29.
- ↑ Steiner, Rupert (2002-04-07). "Voters tick with a click". The Sunday Times. p. 24.
- ↑ "U.K. puts online voting to the test". CNET News. 2002-04-26. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
- ↑ "Brian Rudman: There's no easy panacea for voter apathy". The New Zealand Herald. 2002-05-27. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Morris, Owen (9 May 2002). "Lib Dems lose three to Tories". Hertfordshire County Publications. NewsBank.
- ↑ Morris, Owen (3 May 2002). "Tories take three wards". Hertfordshire County Publications. NewsBank.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 "District Council Election Results 2nd May 2002". St Albans City and District Council. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
- ↑ "District Council Election Results - 4 May 2000". St Albans City and District Council. Archived from the original on 1 October 2002. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
- ↑ "Local elections: early results". The Independent. 2002-05-03. p. 7.
- 1 2 3 Price, Shannon (4 July 2002). "Lib-Dem victory this time around". Hertfordshire County Publications. NewsBank.
- ↑ "Verulam Ward By Election Result 27th June 2002". St Albans City and District Council. Archived from the original on 1 October 2002. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ↑ "East Enders desert BNP". theguardian.com. 28 June 2002. Retrieved 10 January 2015.