The distribution of seats on Exeter City Council following the elections held on Thursday 7 May 2026 is:
- Labour Party (LAB) 18 (-4)
- Independents (IND) 2 (=)
- Green Party (GREEN) 10 (+3)
- Liberal Democrats (LIBDEM) 5 (+1)
- Conservative Party (CON) 1 (-1)
- Reform UK (REFUK) 3 (+1)
The turnout was 44.66% with 44,857 votes cast among an electorate of 91,314 eligible registered voters.
A total of 11,774 postal ballots were issued of which 10,034 were returned, 24.60% of the ballots cast.
108 ballots were rejected.
The total number of votes cast for each party and its share of all the votes cast was:
- Labour Party (LAB) 9,917 (22.11%)
- Independents (IND) 94 (0.21%)
- Green Party (GREEN) 14,667 (32.70%)
- Liberal Democrats (LIBDEM) 5,245 (11.69%)
- Conservative Party (CON) 4,910 (10.95%)
- Reform UK (REFUK) 10,014 (22.32%)
- Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition (TUSC) 10 (0.02%)
When that share is adjusted to remove the effect of Heavitree voters being able to cast two votes (see methodology note below) the ballot share for each major party was:
The overall ballot share change for each major party since the 2024 Exeter City Council elections was:
- Labour Party (LAB) -14.95%
- Green Party (GREEN) +11.06%
- Liberal Democrats (LIBDEM) +2.08%
- Conservative Party (CON) -6.81%
- Reform UK (REFUK) +23.00%
The votes cast for each candidate with vote share, party vote share change since the 2024 Exeter City Council elections (or the 2025 by-elections in Mincinglake & Whipton and Topsham) and turnout in each ward were as follows.
Alphington
LAB hold
- Lucy Findlay LAB 976 (31.66%) -14.33%
- Kayleigh Luscombe CON 442 (14.34%) -13.61%
- Jayden Palmer REFUK 856 (27.77%) +27.77%
- JJ Pickin LIBDEM 185 (6.00%) -0.96%
- Greg Wotton GREEN 624 (20.24%) +6.91%
Turnout: 47.51% = 3,101 ballots among an electorate of 6,527.
966 postal ballots were issued of which 853 were returned, 27.67% of the ballots cast.
12 ballots were rejected.
2026 Alphington election results - votes cast
2026 Alphington election results - party vote share change since 2024 elections
Duryard & St. James
LIBDEM hold
- Jonathan Hawke LAB 261 (10.70%) -20.82%
- David Hodge REFUK 327 (13.41%) +13.41%
- Mithat Ishakoglu GREEN 751 (30.79%) +17.04%
- Kevin Mitchell LIBDEM 983 (40.30%) -5.07%
- Sebastian Stanwell-Wise CON 117 (4.80%) -4.57%
Turnout: 39.02% = 2,447 ballots among an electorate of 6,271.
828 postal ballots were issued of which 731 were returned, 29.87% of the ballots cast.
6 ballots were rejected.
2026 Duryard & St. James election results - votes cast
2026 Duryard & St. James election results - party vote share change since 2024 elections
Exwick
LAB hold
- Lee Gillett REFUK 931 (30.54%) +30.54%
- Jamie Horner LIBDEM 149 (4.89%) -1.39%
- Paul Knott LAB 1,054 (34.58%) -16.65%
- Kalkidan Legesse GREEN 709 (23.26%) +11.08%
- David Luscombe CON 205 (6.73%) -5.64%
Turnout: 41.76% = 3,057 ballots among an electorate of 7,321.
869 postal ballots were issued of which 742 were returned, 24.27% of the ballots cast.
8 ballots were rejected.
2026 Exwick election results - votes cast
2026 Exwick election results - party vote share change since 2024 elections
Heavitree
GREEN hold & GREEN hold
- Tina Beer REFUK 697 (19.37%) +19.37%
- Phil Brock LIBDEM 243 (6.75%) +4.42%
- Dave Mutton LAB 499 (13.86%) -7.80%
- Katherine New CON 273 (7.59%) -3.32%
- Jordan Newbery IND 94 (2.61%) -33.37%
- Lisa Norris REFUK 657 (18.26%) +18.26%
- Stella Smith GREEN 1,889 (52.49%) +23.37%
- Rachel Sutton LAB 523 (14.53%) -7.13%
- Helen Terry GREEN 1,868 (51.90%) +22.78%
- Colin Trudgeon CON 173 (4.81%) -6.10%
- Nigel Williams LIBDEM 201 (5.58%) +3.25%
Turnout: 53.72% = 3,607 ballots among an electorate of 6,715.
939 postal ballots were issued of which 788 were returned, 21.85% of the ballots cast.
8 ballots were rejected.
2026 Heavitree election results - votes cast
2026 Heavitree election results - party ballot share change since 2024 elections
Mincinglake & Whipton
REFUK hold
- Martin Ayres GREEN 812 (29.10%) +18.02%
- Steve Casemore LAB 658 (23.58%) -4.23%
- Tony Payne REFUK 952 (34.12%) -0.71%
- Michael Payne LIBDEM 178 (6.38%) -0.11%
- David Thompson CON 190 (6.81%) -1.53%
Turnout: 43.48% = 2,799 ballots among an electorate of 6,437.
874 postal ballots were issued of which 738 were returned, 26.37% of the ballots cast.
9 ballots were rejected.
2026 Mincinglake & Whipton election results - votes cast
2026 Mincinglake & Whipton election results - party vote share change since 2025 elections
Newtown & St. Leonard’s
GREEN gain
- Bernadette Chelvanayagam GREEN 1,430 (47.29%) +0.29%
- Jonny Pye LIBDEM 146 (4.83%) +1.12%
- Ruth Smith CON 220 (7.28%) -0.88%
- Matt Vizard LAB 839 (27.74%) -8.66%
- Jo Westlake REFUK 389 (12.86%) +12.86%
Turnout: 46.08% = 3,033 ballots among an electorate of 6,582.
755 postal ballots were issued of which 639 were returned, 21.07% of the ballots cast.
9 ballots were rejected.
2026 Newtown & St. Leonard’s election results - votes cast
2026 Newtown & St. Leonard’s election results - party vote share change since 2024 elections
Pennsylvania
GREEN gain
- Will Aczel LIBDEM 628 (18.28%) +12.07%
- Gill Baker GREEN 1,325 (38.57%) +7.74%
- Michael Battershill REFUK 585 (17.03%) +17.03%
- Paula Black LAB 584 (17.00%) -21.83%
- Rob Hannaford CON 303 (8.82%) -4.87%
- Myles Hatcher TUSC 10 (0.29%) +0.29%
Turnout: 48.41% = 3,445 ballots among an electorate of 7,117.
862 postal ballots were issued of which 759 were returned, 22.03% of the ballots cast.
10 ballots were rejected.
2026 Pennsylvania election results - votes cast
2026 Pennsylvania election results - party vote share change since 2024 elections
Pinhoe
LAB hold
- Mark Allen GREEN 518 (15.12%) +2.79%
- Ian Baldwin CON 538 (15.70%) -7.78%
- Christine Campion LIBDEM 245 (7.15%) -1.89%
- Ashton Messer REFUK 966 (28.19%) +28.19%
- Duncan Wood LAB VOTES (33.85%) -8.03%
Turnout: 42.34% = 3,437 ballots among an electorate of 8,118.
1,137 postal ballots were issued of which 947 were returned, 27.55% of the ballots cast.
10 ballots were rejected.
2026 Pinhoe election results - votes cast
2026 Pinhoe election results - party vote share change since 2024 elections
Priory
REFUK gain
- Marina Asvachin LAB 815 (28.46%) -13.51%
- Rob Newby CON 363 (12.67%) -3.59%
- Philip Thomas LIBDEM 199 (6.95%) -2.93%
- Jack Vickers GREEN 660 (23.04%) +12.03%
- Nick Williams REFUK 827 (28.88%) +28.88%
Turnout: 43.80% = 2,873 ballots among an electorate of 6,560.
841 postal ballots were issued of which 717 were returned, 24.96% of the ballots cast.
8 ballots were rejected.
2026 Priory election results - votes cast
2026 Priory election results - party vote share change since 2024 elections
St. David’s
GREEN hold
- Yasmine Al-Saket CON 168 (5.93%) -4.73%
- Susan Clow REFUK 444 (15.66%) +15.66%
- Charles Curnock LIBDEM 159 (5.61%) +1.01%
- Rose Lelliott LAB 446 (15.73%) -18.00%
- Brian Rappert GREEN 1,618 (57.07%) +6.06%
Turnout: 30.94% = 2,170 ballots among an electorate of 7,014.
704 postal ballots were issued of which 573 were returned, 26.41% of the ballots cast.
9 ballots were rejected.
2026 St. David’s election results - votes cast
2026 St. David’s election results - party vote share change since 2024 elections
St. Loye’s
LIBDEM gain
- Joan Collacott CON 808 (25.34%) -23.23%
- Laila Jhaveri LAB 342 (10.72%) -25.67%
- Chris Owen REFUK 812 (25.46%) +25.46%
- Paul Richards LIBDEM 817 (25.62%) +18.97%
- Chloe Whipple GREEN 410 (12.86%) +4.46%
Turnout: 46.04% = 3,192 ballots among an electorate of 6,933.
1,009 postal ballots were issued of which 860 were returned, 26.94% of the ballots cast.
4 ballots were rejected.
2026 St. Loye’s election results - votes cast
2026 St. Loye’s election results - party vote share change since 2024 elections
St. Thomas
GREEN gain
- Robert-James Cockburn REFUK 711 (19.45%) +19.45%
- Vanessa Newcombe LIBDEM 865 (23.67%) -4.27%
- Jack Reed GREEN 1,354 (37.05%) +26.21%
- Caroline Stone CON 154 (4.21%) -1.84%
- Laura Wright LAB 571 (15.62%) -22.73%
Turnout: 49.83% = 3,661 ballots among an electorate of 7,347.
837 postal ballots were issued of which 717 were returned, 19.58% of the ballots cast.
6 ballots were rejected.
2026 St. Thomas election results - votes cast
2026 St. Thomas election results - party vote share change since 2024 elections
Topsham
LAB hold
- James Cookson LAB 1,189 (30.09%) +1.70%
- Sue Davies REFUK 860 (21.77%) -1.36%
- Tim Gainsford LIBDEM 247 (6.25%) -4.37%
- Ann Keen GREEN 699 (17.69%) +7.37%
- Cynthia Thompson CON 956 (24.20%) -3.34%
Turnout: 47.34% = 3,963 ballots among an electorate of 8,372.
1,153 postal ballots were issued of which 970 were returned, 24.48% of the ballots cast.
9 ballots were rejected.
2026 Topsham election results - votes cast
2026 Topsham election results - party vote share change since 2025 elections
Methodology note
Voters in this year’s elections in Exeter City Council’s Heavitree ward were allowed to cast up to two votes which were not ranked in any order of preference using the multiple non-transferable vote system.
Because not all of these voters cast both their votes a precise vote share for individual candidates cannot be derived from the recorded results.
Instead, a proportional share of the ballots cast for the leading candidate in each party has been used to derive overall party vote share comparisons and party vote share change comparisons with the 2024 city council election results in this ward.
In addition, all but two of the Exeter City Council’s wards were last elected two years ago, but city council by-elections were held in Mincinglake & Whipton and Topsham last year at the same time as elections to Devon County Council.
Because of Reform UK’s significance in this year’s elections, and because it did not stand any candidates in 2024, both these by-elections have been used to calculate party vote share change comparisons in these wards.
The other eleven ward party vote share change comparisons were calculated using the 2024 city council election results.
