# Folkestone and Hythe District Council elections

Folkestone and Hythe District Council is the local authority for the Folkestone and Hythe District in Kent, England. The district was called Shepway prior to 2018. The council is elected every four years. Since the last boundary changes in 2015, 30 councillors have been elected from 13 wards.

## Council elections

* 1973 Shepway District Council election
* 1976 Shepway District Council election
* 1979 Shepway District Council election (New ward boundaries)
* 1983 Shepway District Council election
* 1987 Shepway District Council election (District boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same)
* 1991 Shepway District Council election
* 1995 Shepway District Council election
* 1999 Shepway District Council election
* 2003 Shepway District Council election (New ward boundaries reduced the number of seats by 10)
* 2007 Shepway District Council election
* 2011 Shepway District Council election
* 2015 Shepway District Council election (New ward boundaries)
* 2019 Folkestone and Hythe District Council election
* 2023 Folkestone and Hythe District Council election

## Results maps

* 2015 results map
* 2019 results map
* 2023 results map

## By-election results
### 1995-1999

St Mary in the Marsh By-Election 22 August 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | | 593 | 47.9 |
| | Conservative | | 429 | 34.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 215 | 17.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 164 | 13.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,237 | 54.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Folkestone Central By-Election 4 September 1997 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | 278 | 42.2 | +12.2 |
| | Conservative | | 222 | 33.7 | +5.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 158 | 24.0 | −17.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 56 | 8.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 658 | 20.8 | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### 1999-2003

Harbour By-Election 22 February 2001 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 387 | 43.0 | +8.2 |
| | Labour | | 273 | 30.4 | −14.3 |
| | Conservative | | 239 | 26.6 | +6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 114 | 12.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 899 | 26.5 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Hythe North By-Election 22 February 2001 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | | 480 | 51.9 | −12.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 369 | 39.9 | +17.0 |
| | Labour | | 75 | 8.1 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 111 | 12.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 924 | 38.6 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Morehall By-Election 22 February 2001 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gary George | 424 | 36.3 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative | Dick Pascoe | 407 | 34.8 | +4.0 |
| | Labour | | 339 | 29.0 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 | 1.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,170 | 32.7 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Hawkinge and Paddlesworth By-Election 5 April 2001 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Smith | 598 | 57.0 | +57.0 |
| | Conservative | | 451 | 43.0 | −27.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 147 | 14.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,049 | 34.7 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Folkestone Central By-Election 7 February 2002 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Hugh Barker | 358 | 61.5 | +25.7 |
| | Labour | | 224 | 38.5 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 134 | 23.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 582 | 19.6 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Folkestone Park By-Election 27 June 2002 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 1,003 | 58.3 | +14.8 |
| | Conservative | Edwina Boyt | 653 | 37.9 | −5.6 |
| | Labour | | 65 | 3.8 | −9.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 350 | 20.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,721 | 36.1 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
St Mary's in the Marsh By-Election 24 October 2002 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julie White | 401 | 37.4 | +17.4 |
| | Conservative | | 365 | 34.0 | −1.6 |
| | Labour | | 262 | 24.4 | +0.0 |
| | UKIP | | 44 | 4.1 | +4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 36 | 3.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,072 | 46.5 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### 2003-2007

New Romney Coast By-Election 2 October 2003 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ann Birchmore | 550 | 48.1 | +15.4 |
| | Conservative | Derek Morgan | 502 | 43.9 | −9.5 |
| | Labour | Albert Ryder | 91 | 8.0 | −5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 48 | 4.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,143 | 41.8 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Romney Marsh By-Election 2 October 2003 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Simon Ashworth | 349 | 50.6 | −5.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sylvia Oiller | 273 | 39.6 | +15.3 |
| | Labour | Adrian Cirket | 68 | 9.9 | −9.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 76 | 11.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 690 | 40.7 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Folkestone East By-Election 22 April 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | | 575 | 52.5 | +33.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 352 | 32.1 | −30.9 |
| | Labour | | 169 | 15.4 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 223 | 20.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,096 | 37.0 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
New Romney Town By-Election 29 September 2005 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Stephenson | 560 | 66.2 | +19.0 |
| | Labour | | 175 | 20.7 | −18.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 111 | 13.1 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 385 | 45.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 846 | 33.5 | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Folkestone Harvey Central By-Election 13 October 2005 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Philip Martin | 409 | 53.4 | +16.7 |
| | Labour | | 237 | 30.9 | +8.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 120 | 15.7 | −21.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 172 | 22.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 766 | 23.7 | |
| | Conservative gain from Green | Conservative gain from Green | Swing | | |

### 2007-2011

Hythe West By-Election 4 June 2009 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Matthews | 589 | 39.6 | +22.1 |
| | Conservative | Paul Peacock | 483 | 32.5 | −26.4 |
| | UKIP | Barbara Johnson | 255 | 17.2 | +5.9 |
| | BNP | Harry Williams | 94 | 6.3 | +6.3 |
| | Shepway Independents | Colin Tearle | 65 | 4.4 | +4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 106 | 7.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,486 | 46.1 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Romney Marsh By-Election 4 June 2009 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Toby Clifton-Holt | 430 | 58.7 | −10.3 |
| | Shepway Independents | Graham Snell | 121 | 16.5 | +16.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sally Matthews | 114 | 15.6 | −0.9 |
| | Labour | Douglas Suckling | 68 | 9.3 | −5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 309 | 42.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 733 | 41.0 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
New Romney Coast By-Election 12 November 2009 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Shane Lawrence | 452 | 51.4 | +2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Wright | 333 | 37.9 | −12.9 |
| | UKIP | Wendy Nevard | 94 | 10.7 | +10.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 119 | 13.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 879 | 30.7 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Lydd By-Election 10 February 2011 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tony Hills | 591 | 49.3 | −0.8 |
| | Labour | Donald Russell | 247 | 20.6 | +20.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ted Last | 184 | 15.3 | −7.7 |
| | Independent | Rochelle Saunders | 177 | 14.8 | +14.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 344 | 28.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,199 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### 2011-2015

Folkestone Park By-Election 29 November 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lynne Beaumont | 461 | 36.2 | +12.2 |
| | Conservative | Leo Griggs | 320 | 25.1 | −15.7 |
| | People First Party | Patricia Copping | 200 | 15.7 | +1.5 |
| | UKIP | Hod Birkby | 153 | 12.0 | +2.8 |
| | Labour | Nicola Keen | 111 | 8.7 | +8.7 |
| | Green | Derek Moran | 29 | 2.3 | +2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 141 | 11.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,274 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Folkestone Harvey Central By-Election 4 September 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UKIP | David Callahan | 287 | 27.9 | +27.9 |
| | Conservative | Rodica Wheeler | 224 | 21.7 | −17.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tom McNeice | 198 | 19.2 | +2.3 |
| | Labour | Wendy Mitchell | 196 | 19.0 | −9.1 |
| | Green | David Horton | 96 | 9.3 | +9.3 |
| | TUSC | Seth Cruse | 29 | 2.8 | +2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 63 | 6.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,030 | | |
| | UKIP gain from Conservative | UKIP gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Folkestone Harvey West By-Election 23 October 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Helen Barker | 385 | 36.4 | −18.8 |
| | UKIP | Stephen Jardine | 293 | 27.7 | +27.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hugh Robertson-Ritchie | 262 | 24.8 | +3.4 |
| | Green | Jasmine Heywood | 61 | 5.8 | +5.8 |
| | Labour | Nicola Keen | 57 | 5.4 | −18.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 92 | 8.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,058 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### 2015-2019

New Romney By-Election 20 July 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Russell Tillson | 566 | 35.4 | +6.4 |
| | Labour | John Cramp | 523 | 32.7 | +21.7 |
| | Independent | David Wimble | 431 | 27.0 | +27.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Val Loseby | 77 | 4.8 | −3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 43 | 2.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,597 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### 2023-2027

Romney Marsh By-Election 22 February 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tony Hills | 375 | 24.2 | −7.4 |
| | Green | Malcolm Watkinson | 332 | 21.4 | +3.9 |
| | Labour | Chrissie Cooper | 295 | 19.0 | −4.5 |
| | Reform UK | Kim Wye | 237 | 15.3 | +15.3 |
| | Independent | Paul Peacock | 155 | 10.0 | +10.0 |
| | Independent | Dave Evans | 62 | 4.0 | +4.0 |
| | Independent | Ian Meyers | 51 | 3.3 | −18.8 |
| | No description | Dougie Young | 31 | 2.0 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matt Horrox | 11 | 0.7 | −7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 43 | 2.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,555 | 26.5 | −7.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |