Ealing is set to have the busiest local election contest anywhere in London this year, with a record 367 candidates standing across the borough’s 24 wards.
The number of candidates contesting the 2026 Ealing Council elections has surged from 264 in 2022, making it the highest candidate total of any London borough in this year’s local elections.
Voters across Ealing’s seven towns — Acton, Ealing, Greenford, Hanwell, Northolt, Perivale and Southall — will be heading to the polls today (7 May 2026) to elect 70 councillors who will help decide who runs Ealing Council for the next four years.
Labour has controlled Ealing Council since 2010 and currently holds 56 of the council’s 70 seats. The Liberal Democrats have eight, the Conservatives four, while two councillors are independents.
The 367 candidates standing come from a wide range of political parties and independent groups.
The Labour, Liberal Democrats and Conservatives are each fielding 70 candidates — enough to contest every council seat.
Reform UK is standing 61 candidates, the Green Party 54 and Ealing Community Independents 26.
There are also four independent candidates, six Rejoin EU candidates, five Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) candidates and one SDP candidate.
More than 250,000 people are eligible to vote in this year’s elections, with a total electorate of 250,275 across the borough.
South Acton has the largest electorate in Ealing with 11,770 eligible voters, followed by Northolt Mandeville with 11,585 and Southfield with 11,487.
Southall West has the smallest electorate with 5,392 voters, while Southall Broadway has 7,381.
At the last local elections in May 2022, Labour won 59 of the council’s 70 seats, while the Liberal Democrats won six seats and the Conservatives five. Turnout was 40.31% from an electorate of 244,520.
In 2018, Labour won 57 seats, with the Conservatives winning eight and the Liberal Democrats four. Turnout that year was 41.32% from an electorate of 245,415.
Across the borough, 130 polling stations are being used on election day.
More than 450 staff are working in polling stations, while more than 300 staff have been employed to run the election counts, including more than 250 count clerks responsible for verifying and counting ballot papers and postal votes.
Click here for all our Ealing Council 2026 local election coverage.
