Hackney 2026 Elections: Labour Faces Green Threat in Council & Mayor Race Hackney 2026

Key Points

• Hackney London Borough Council election for all 57 councillor seats and the directly-elected Mayor will occur on Thursday, 7 May 2026, with results announced on Friday, 8 May.
• In the 2022 council election, turnout was 34.1% (or 34.06% for mayoral), Labour won 50 seats (down 2), Conservatives held 5 seats (no change), Greens gained 2 seats.
• Since 2022, Conservatives won a by-election in Woodberry Down (2023, Ian Sharer gained from Labour), Greens won Stoke Newington by-election in September 2024 (Liam Davis with 1,253 votes vs Labour’s 945).
• Current council: Labour majority with around 50 seats, Greens at 3, Conservatives 5 (post-by-elections), Hackney Independent Socialists (HISC) hold 3 seats after former Labour members quit in 2024.
• Mayoral candidates include Caroline Woodley (Labour, incumbent), Zoë Garbett (Green), Tareke Gregg (Conservative), Eva Steinhardt (Liberal Democrat), Vahid Almasi (Reform UK).
• Mayor oversees housing (regeneration, affordable targets), planning, waste collection, sets policy direction, selects cabinet, proposes budget.
• Key dates: Register to vote by 20 April, postal/proxy by 21/28 April, polling 7am-10pm on 7 May, voter ID required.

Hackney (East London Times) April 13, 2026 – Residents of Hackney are preparing for local elections on 7 May 2026, where all 57 council seats and the powerful directly-elected mayor position will be contested amid recent shifts in political representation.

What you need to know as Hackney heads into local elections?

Polling stations will open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 7 May 2026, with vote counting on Friday 8 May, as stated by Hackney Council in their official guidance.

All registered voters aged 18 or over by election day, including British, Commonwealth, Irish, and qualifying EU citizens, can participate, but British overseas electors cannot. Voter ID is mandatory, with accepted forms including passports, driving licences, and Freedom Passes; applications for Voter Authority Certificates close on 28 April.

As reported by the BBC, Hackney’s elections come against a backdrop of its trendy neighbourhoods and ongoing local governance debates.

The council comprises 57 councillors elected by ward, representing residents on decisions affecting borough life, while the mayor leads policy, appoints a cabinet, and proposes the budget. Postal vote applications must arrive by 21 April, and proxy votes by 28 April, with poll cards detailing polling stations sent to registered electors.

What happened in Hackney at the last council election in 2022?

The 2022 Hackney London Borough Council election on 5 May saw Labour secure 35,742 votes (53.4%) for 50 seats, down two from previous; Conservatives took 7,607 votes (11.4%) for 5 seats (no change); Greens gained 15,415 votes (23.0%) for 2 seats, up two. Turnout stood at 34.1%, with Philip Glanville (Labour) re-elected mayor on 36,049 votes (59%), ahead of Zoë Garbett (Green) and Oliver Hall (Conservative), at 34.06% turnout.

Local Election Archive Project data confirms Liberal Democrats on 5,602 votes (8.4%) won no seats, alongside smaller shares for Independent Network, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, Women’s Equality Party, and independents.

In specific wards like Hackney Central, Returning Officer Mark Carroll declared results with Labour’s Faruk Tinaz topping polls.

What by-election changes have occurred since 2022?

Since 2022, multiple by-elections have chipped at Labour’s dominance. As detailed in Wikipedia, former mayor Philip Glanville stood down after suspension over a photo with ex-councillor Tom Dewey, convicted of child abuse images; Dewey resigned days after 2022 election. Caroline Woodley won the 2023 mayoral by-election with 18,474 votes (49.5%), down from Glanville’s share, against Garbett’s 9,075 (Green) and Simche Steinberger’s 5,039 (Conservative).

Conservatives gained Woodberry Down via Ian Sharer in the subsequent by-election. Greens triumphed in Stoke Newington on 12 September 2024 after Mete Coban’s resignation to become Deputy Mayor of London; Liam Davis won with 1,253 votes to Labour’s 945, marking Greens’ highest seats (3) since 1998 and first London by-election gain from opposition since 2008. Hackney Green Party noted this as the 8th or 9th by-election from Labour resignations.

In May 2024, former Labour councillors formed Hackney Independent Socialist Collective (HISC), now holding 3 seats.

Who are the candidates for Hackney mayor in 2026?

Five candidates are contesting the mayoralty, per BBC reporting: Caroline Woodley (Labour, current mayor since 2023), Zoë Garbett (Green Party), Tareke Gregg (Conservatives), Eva Steinhardt (Liberal Democrats), Vahid Almasi (Reform UK). WhoCanIVoteFor lists Garbett and Woodley confirmed early.

The mayor wields significant powers over housing including regeneration schemes and affordable targets, planning, and waste collection, appointing cabinet for areas like finance and community safety.

As Hackney Citizen reported on Garbett’s related work, she critiqued estate regeneration as “degeneration,” citing net losses of social homes despite density increases.

What recent political alliances are forming?

East London Times reports a tactical alliance between Greens and HISC for 2026, with HISC standing aside in wards to back single “alternative left-progressive” candidates against Labour. This pact includes mayoral support for Garbett over Labour’s nominee, potentially forming a Green-Independent opposition bloc. East London Times also notes Green hopes bolstered by 2024 Stoke Newington win and 2022 surges in Stoke Newington, Dalston, Hackney Wick.

Background of the Developments

Hackney’s political landscape stems from its 2002 adoption of a mayor-council model, granting the mayor executive powers distinct from most London boroughs. The 2022 elections followed boundary changes increasing seats to 57 across 21 wards (some electing 2-3 councillors).

By-elections reflect turbulence: Labour resignations, including Coban’s promotion and scandals involving Glanville/Dewey, led to losses. Greens built on 23% vote share, targeting issues like housing amid 139 London estates in regeneration, often losing social homes per London Assembly data. HISC emerged from 2024 Labour splits, aligning with Greens against national party trends. Voter registration drives emphasise accessibility, with wheelchair-friendly stations and aids for impaired voters.

Prediction: How this development can affect Hackney residents

This development, with all seats and mayor up amid by-election losses, can affect Hackney residents by potentially altering council control and policy priorities.

Labour’s reduced majority post-by-elections (around 47 seats estimated) risks further erosion if Green-HISC pacts succeed, leading to stronger opposition scrutiny on budget proposals and cabinet choices. Residents could see shifts in housing regeneration, where mayor-led targets for affordable units face Green critiques of net social home losses, impacting tenants’ rights to return.