West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner by-election, 2014
The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner by-election, 2014 was a by-election for the position of Police and Crime Commissioner in the West Midlands Police region of the United Kingdom, held on 21 August 2014. It was triggered by the death of Bob Jones, the inaugural West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, who died on 1 July 2014.[1][2][3]
The election had to be held with 35 working days of the vacancy by virtue of Section 51 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.[4] On 4 July 2014, Birmingham City Council, who oversaw the election, confirmed that the poll would be held on 21 August 2014.[5]
Candidates
On 25 July 2014, Birmingham City Council published the statement of persons nominated, which confirmed that four people had been validly nominated to stand:[6]
Results
Jamieson won the election with 50.83% of first preference votes on a turnout of 10.38%.[12] Turnout ranged between 9.78% in Sandwell to 11.58% in Solihull.[13] Alexandra Runswick, director of the pressure group Unlock Democracy, said that "few voters knew that the election was happening and even fewer cared".[13] The previous lowest turnout for a large-scale by-election in the United Kingdom since the Second World War was 18.2%, in the Manchester Central by-election, 2012.[13]
| West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner by-election, 2014 [14] |
| Party |
Candidate |
1st Round |
% |
2nd Round |
Total |
First Round Votes Transfer Votes
|
| |
Labour |
David Jamieson |
102,561 |
50.8% |
|
|
|
| |
Conservative |
Les Jones |
54,091 |
26.8% |
|
|
|
| |
UKIP |
Keith Rowe |
32,187 |
15.9% |
|
|
|
| |
Liberal Democrat |
Ayoub Khan |
12,950 |
6.5% |
|
|
|
| Turnout |
201,789 |
10.38% |
|
| Rejected ballots |
3,667 |
1.78% |
|
| Total votes |
205,456 |
10.41 |
|
| Registered electors |
1,993,998 |
|
|
| |
Labour hold |
Previous result
| West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner election, 2012 [15] |
| Party |
Candidate |
1st Round |
% |
2nd Round |
Total |
First Round Votes Transfer Votes
|
| |
Labour |
Bob Jones |
100,130 |
42.00% |
17,285 |
117,415 |
|
| |
Conservative |
Matt Bennett |
44,130 |
18.51% |
11,555 |
55,685 |
|
| |
Independent |
Cath Hannon |
30,778 |
12.91% |
|
|
|
| |
UKIP |
Bill Etheridge |
17,563 |
7.37% |
|
|
|
| |
Independent |
Derek Webley |
17,488 |
7.34% |
|
|
|
| |
Liberal Democrat |
Ayoub Khan |
15,413 |
6.47% |
|
|
|
| |
Independent |
Mike Rumble |
12,882 |
5.40% |
|
|
|
| Turnout |
238,384 |
11.96% |
|
| Rejected ballots |
7,063 |
2.88% |
|
| Total votes |
245,447 |
12.31 |
|
| Registered electors |
1,993,998 |
|
|
| |
Labour win |
References
