# Essex County Council elections

Essex County Council in England is elected every four years. Since the last boundary changes in 2005, 75 councillors are elected from 70 wards.

## Council elections

| Year | Con | Lab | LD | UKIP | Grn | Ind | Oth |
| 2025 | | | | | | | |
| Boundary changes; seats increased by 3 ||||||||
| 2021 | 52 | 5 | 8 | - | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 2017 | 56 | 6 | 7 | - | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 2013 | 42 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2009 | 60 | 1 | 12 | - | - | - | 2 |
| 2005 | 52 | 13 | 8 | - | - | - | 2 |
| Boundary changes; seats reduced by 4 ||||||||
| 2001 | 49 | 19 | 10 | - | - | - | 1 |
| 1997 | 40 | 23 | 15 | - | - | - | 1 |
| Thurrock and Southend leave the Essex County Council area, reducing the number of seats by 19 ||||||||
| 1993 | 32 | 33 | 32 | - | - | 1 | - |
| 1989 | 57 | 26 | 14 | - | - | - | 1 |
| 1985 | 45 | 29 | 23 | - | - | - | 1 |
| 1981 | 51 | 32 | 13 | - | - | - | 2 |
| 1977 | 83 | 12 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| 1973 | 50 | 40 | 5 | - | - | 1 | 1 |

## County result maps

* 2005 results map
* 2009 results map
* 2013 results map
* 2017 results map
* 2021 results map

## By-election results
### 1985–1989

Basildon Vange (June 1986) (Labour Hold)
Gray Thurrock (July 1986) (Labour Hold)
Belfairs and Blenheim By-Election: February 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance | Albert Smulian | 2,005 | 55.6 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | Terrence Birdseye | 1,289 | 35.7 | −0.2 |
| | Labour | Nigel Boorman | 314 | 8.7 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 716 | 19.8 | +2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,608 | 33.0 | −12.2 |
| | Alliance hold | Alliance hold | Swing | +1.0 | |
Basildon Crouch By-Election: December 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance | Francis Bellard | 1,423 | 45.9 | +14.1 |
| | Conservative | Terence Dove | 1,288 | 41.5 | −4.1 |
| | Labour | Margaret Davis | 391 | 12.6 | −10.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 135 | 4.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,102 | 30.0 | −6.0 |
| | Alliance gain from Conservative | Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing | +9.1 | |
Maypole By-Election: May 1988 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SLD | Patricia Pascoe | 2,035 | 42.3 | −1.1 |
| | Labour | Donald Quinn | 1,572 | 32.7 | −6.9 |
| | Conservative | Mary Fairhead | 1,200 | 25.0 | +8.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 463 | 9.6 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,807 | 39.0 | +2.3 |
| | SLD hold | SLD hold | Swing | +2.9 | |

### 1989–1993

Old Heath By-Election: 3 May 1990 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Christopher Pearson | 2,384 | 40.1 | +4.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Vincent Edkins | 2,103 | 35.4 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative | Edward Winney | 1,039 | 17.5 | −1.9 |
| | SDP | John Parrick | 416 | 7.0 | +7.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 281 | 4.7 | +4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,942 | 48.1 | +8.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.3 | |
Brentwood Central By-Election: June 1990 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Edgar Davis | 2,210 | 56.0 | +21.5 |
| | Conservative | John Hutton | 1,339 | 33.9 | −14.6 |
| | Labour | Francis Keohane | 249 | 6.3 | −4.2 |
| | Green | Philip Ray | 89 | 2.3 | −4.6 |
| | SDP | Samuel Ormsby | 32 | 0.8 | +0.8 |
| | Independent | James Holdsworth | 28 | 0.7 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 871 | 22.1 | −13.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,947 | 40.1 | −3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +18.1 | |
Dunmow By-Election: 2 May 1991 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Westcott | 2,937 | 56.4 | −5.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Gibbs | 1,451 | 27.9 | +7.7 |
| | Labour | David Cole | 817 | 15.7 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,486 | 28.5 | −13.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,205 | 45.1 | +7.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −6.7 | |
Basildon Laindon By-Election: September 1991 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Walsh | 1,780 | 48.4 | +13.1 |
| | Labour | Harold Bruce | 1,360 | 32.7 | −17.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Wilson | 538 | 13.0 | +4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 420 | 11.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,155 | 33.2 | −3.2 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +15.4 | |
Brentwood Hutton By-Election: September 1992 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alun Thomas | 1,872 | 57.9 | −4.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Katharine Spanton | 1,191 | 36.8 | +18.6 |
| | Labour | Edward O’Brien | 172 | 5.3 | −13.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 681 | 21.1 | −43.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,235 | 26.8 | −7.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −11.8 | |

### 1993–1997

Loughton St. Marys By-Election: 21 October 1993 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stanley Goodwin | 1,891 | 55.6 | +10.5 |
| | Conservative | Vernon Davies | 870 | 25.6 | −10.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nicholas Macy | 641 | 18.8 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,021 | 30.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,402 | 32.5 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +10.3 | |
Tendring Rural West By-Election: 22 September 1994 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Christopher Pearson | 1,260 | 35.6 | +5.7 |
| | Conservative | Roger Lord | 1,197 | 33.9 | −1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Potter | 999 | 28.3 | −5.4 |
| | Green | Fox | 80 | 2.3 | +2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 63 | 1.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,536 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.1 | |

### 1997–2001

Basildon Westley Heights By-Election: 4 June 1998 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Robert Sears | 1,717 | 37.9 | +2.2 |
| | Conservative | David Walsh | 1,573 | 34.8 | −6.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoffery Williams | 1,231 | 27.2 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 144 | 3.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,521 | 35.4 | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Loughton St. Johns By-Election: 11 November 1999 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stanley Goodwin | 927 | 48.4 | +11.4 |
| | Conservative | Colin Finn | 527 | 27.5 | +2.0 |
| | Loughton Residents | Kay Ellis | 404 | 21.1 | −9.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Spence | 56 | 2.9 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 400 | 20.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,914 | 19.4 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### 2001–2005

Basildon Westley Heights By-Election: 23 September 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoffrey Williams | 1,167 | 45.0 | +24.2 |
| | Conservative | Sandra Hillier | 999 | 38.5 | −3.0 |
| | Labour | Jane Dyer | 426 | 16.4 | −21.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 168 | 6.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,592 | 19.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Little Parndon and Town Centre By-Election: 16 December 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mike Danvers | 1,082 | 43.5 | −9.1 |
| | Conservative | Lee Dangerfield | 715 | 28.7 | +0.8 |
| | UKIP | Anthony Bennett | 264 | 10.5 | +10.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Millington | 213 | 8.6 | −10.9 |
| | Independent | Patricia Bryne | 195 | 7.8 | +7.8 |
| | English Democrat | Robin Tilbrook | 21 | 0.8 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 367 | 14.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,487 | 27.3 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### 2005–2009

Brentwood Rural By-Election: 13 July 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ann Naylor | 2,062 | 61.5 | +11.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barry Aspinell | 1,150 | 34.3 | +2.3 |
| | Labour | Jane Winter | 142 | 4.2 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 912 | 27.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,354 | 26.0 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### 2010–2013

Harlow West By-Election: 5 May 2011 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tony Durcan | 5,320 | 48.4 | +22.3 |
| | Conservative | Mark Gough | 4,564 | 41.6 | +8.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Strachan | 1,100 | 10.0 | −5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 756 | 6.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,984 | 37.2 | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Percentage changes are since June 2009. At the previous election, the Green Party had received 11.0% and the British National Party received 14.2%.
Chelmsford Central By-Election: 9 June 2011 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Dick Madden | 1,496 | 43.6 | +10.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Graham Pooley | 1,323 | 38.6 | −5.9 |
| | Labour | Russell Kennedy | 610 | 17.8 | +10.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 173 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,429 | 29 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Percentage changes are since June 2009, when the British National Party and the Green Party also stood, receiving 6.1% and 8.2%, respectively, of votes cast.
Stock By-Election: 8 September 2011 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ian Grundy | 1,820 | 59.3 | −6.4 |
| | UKIP | Jesse Pryke | 736 | 24.1 | n/a |
| | Labour | Maurice Austin | 273 | 8.9 | +3.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Marian Elsden | 160 | 5.2 | −7.3 |
| | Green | Reza Hossain | 80 | 2.6 | −6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,084 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,069 | 22.4 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Percentage changes are since June 2009. At the previous election, the British National Party received 7.8% of the votes cast
Chelmsford North By-Election: 28 June 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Robinson | 1,614 | 42.1 | −4.6 |
| | Conservative | Robert Pontin | 941 | 24.5 | −7.5 |
| | Labour | Nastassia Player | 711 | 18.5 | +10.7 |
| | UKIP | Leslie Retford | 435 | 11.3 | n/a |
| | Green | Reza Hossain | 134 | 3.5 | −3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 6.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,835 | 28.3 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Percentage changes are since June 2009. At the previous election, British National Party received 6.2%.

### 2013–2017

Brightlingsea By-Election: 9 October 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alan Goggin | 1,809 | 33.7 | +9.1 |
| | UKIP | Anne Poonian | 1,642 | 30.6 | +0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gary Scott | 1,199 | 22.3 | −4.6 |
| | Labour | Carol Carlsson-Browne | 524 | 9.8 | −2.7 |
| | Green | Beverley Maltby | 200 | 3.7 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 167 | 3.1 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,398 | 36.5 | +4.3 |
| | Conservative gain from UKIP | Conservative gain from UKIP | Swing | +4.5 | |
Bocking By-Election: 5 March 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stephen Canning | 1,071 | 34.3 | +2.1 |
| | Labour | Lynn Watson | 974 | 31.2 | +1.3 |
| | UKIP | Michael Ford | 855 | 27.4 | −5.3 |
| | Green | John Malam | 165 | 5.3 | +2.2 |
| | Independent | Walter Sale | 58 | 1.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 97 | 3.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,123 | | |
| | Conservative gain from UKIP | Conservative gain from UKIP | Swing | | |
Clacton East By-Election: 31 March 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Holland Residents | Colin Sargeant | 1,781 | 46.8 | N/A |
| | UKIP | Benjamin Smith | 961 | 25.3 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative | Richard Bleach | 628 | 16.5 | −10.3 |
| | Labour | Christopher Bird | 387 | 10.2 | −0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rain Welham-Cobb | 49 | 1.3 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 820 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Holland Residents gain from Tendring First | Holland Residents gain from Tendring First | Swing | | |
Basildon Laindon Park and Fryerns By-Election: 9 June 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UKIP | Frank Ferguson | 2,034 | 42.6 | +9.2 |
| | Labour | Gavin Callaghan | 1,600 | 33.5 | −7.4 |
| | Conservative | Gary Maylin | 878 | 18.4 | +2.4 |
| | Green | Phillip Rackley | 264 | 5.5 | +3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 434 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 16.9 | |
| | UKIP gain from Labour | UKIP gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### 2017–2021

Clacton East By-Election: 3 October 2019 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Mark Stephenson | 1,231 | 36.9 | +21.8'"`UNIQ−−ref−00000077−QINU`"' |
| | Conservative | Chris Amos | 1,223 | 36.6 | +5.3 |
| | Holland Residents | K.T. King | 537 | 16.1 | −24.8'"`UNIQ−−ref−00000078−QINU`"' |
| | Liberal Democrats | Callum Robertson | 140 | 4.2 | +2.4 |
| | Labour | Geoff Ely | 111 | 3.3 | −6.1 |
| | Green | Chris Southall | 97 | 2.9 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8 | 0.2 | −9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,339 | 25.3 | −10.5 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | +8.3 | |

### 2021–2025

Rayleigh North By-Election: 3 March 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Newport | 1,658 | 57.4 | +12.3 |
| | Conservative | Simon Smith | 929 | 32.2 | −11.8 |
| | Independent | Jack Lawmon | 164 | 5.7 | N/A |
| | Labour | Lorraine Ridley | 137 | 4.7 | −6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 729 | 25.2 | +24.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,892 | 21.9 | −15.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,183 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +12.0 | |
Basildon Laindon Park and Fryerns By-Election: 4 May 2023 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Patricia Reid | 2,748 | 49.7 | +15.3 |
| | Conservative | Terri Sargent | 1,890 | 34.2 | +1.2 |
| | Green | Oliver McCarthy | 445 | 8.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mike Chandler | 444 | 8.0 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 858 | 15.5 | +14.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,588 | 18.2 | –6.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 30,722 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.1 | |
Harlow South East By-Election: 2 May 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Johnson | 2,008 | 48.6 | –13.1 |
| | Labour | Kay Morrison | 1,476 | 35.7 | +2.8 |
| | UKIP | Dan Long | 259 | 6.3 | N/A |
| | Green | Jennifer Steadman | 257 | 6.2 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Millington | 130 | 3.2 | –0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 532 | 12.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,163 | 28.1 | –5.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,841 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | –7.9 | |
Basildon Pitsea By-Election: 4 July 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Emma Callaghan | 5,959 | 43.8 | +2.0 |
| | Conservative | Craig Rimmer | 4,360 | 32.1 | –13.8 |
| | Independent | Iurie Cojocaru | 1,677 | 12.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Phil Jenkins | 1,045 | 7.7 | +1.9 |
| | TUSC | Jack Huggins | 550 | 4.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,599 | 11.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,591 | 41.2 | +14.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 32,977 | | +161 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +7.9 | |
Stock By-Election: 12 December 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sue Dobson | 1,304 | 46.4 | –23.1 |
| | Reform UK | Thomas Allison | 977 | 34.7 | N/A |
| | Independent | Paul Clark | 160 | 5.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christine Shaw | 156 | 5.5 | −1.3 |
| | Labour | Stephen Capper | 127 | 4.5 | −5.5 |
| | Green | Edward Massey | 89 | 3.2 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 327 | 11.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,813 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |