On 2 May 2026, you’ll trudge to your local polling station. Probably in the rain. You’ll get a ballot paper the size of a small tablecloth. You’ll see two boxes to tick: one for Mayor, one for the London Assembly. Don’t skip the Assembly one – those people decide on things like policing and housing. They matter, even if they sound boring.
London Mayoral Election 2026 – Sadiq Khan London Mayor – AGDOB
You’ll vote using the Supplementary Vote system. It’s like a weird dating app: you pick your first choice, then your second choice. If nobody gets over 50% in round one, the top two go head-to-head, and your second choice gets a look-in. Clever? Or just confusing? You decide.
Who’s Actually Running? (The Big Names)
The biggies are Sadiq Khan (Labour – current mayor, trying for third term) and Susan Hall (Conservative – council leader, loud on crime). Then there’s a whole circus of others: the Greens, the Lib Dems, the Reclaim Party, and about a dozen independents. Some of them are very serious. Some of them have a Twitter account and a dream.
You’ll also see a candidate from the London Real Party, and maybe a guy who wants to legalise squirrel ownership. Look, it’s London. The fringe candidates are part of the charm.
