Two possible dates have been revealed for a hotly contested Bristol City Council by-election race early next year. The vote will be held in either late January or early February and could lead to Labour or the Greens becoming the largest party in the council.
The by-election in Hotwells and Harbourside will either be held on January 26 or February 2. The date will be confirmed after the council checks which polling stations are available.
The by-election was sparked by the sudden resignation of Liberal Democrat Councillor Alex Hartley, first elected to the ward in May 2021. Cllr Hartley announced on December 16 that he would resign due to concerns about his mental health.
Read more: By-election to be held at Bristol City Council after councillor steps down
A Bristol City Council spokesperson said: “The resignation of Alex Hartley, formerly the member for Hotwells and Harbourside ward, has been accepted by the returning officer. A Notice of Vacancy was posted on our website on December 19 and the two signatures required to request an election have been received.
“The by-election must take place within 35 days of the Notice of Vacancy and will therefore be held on either Thursday, January 26, or Thursday, February 2, 2023. The Returning Officer will confirm the date once polling station availability and holiday periods have been taken into account.”
So far, three candidates have announced they are running in the by-election. Former MP Stephen Williams is running for the Liberal Democrats, while climate-science graduate Patrick McAllister is running for the Greens. Local journalist Martin Booth, editor of Bristol24/7, is standing as an independent candidate.
It is not yet known who will stand for Labour or the Conservatives. The seat has been held by the Liberal Democrats for many years, but with a shrinking majority. In the last election in 2021, the party narrowly beat the Greens by just 26 votes, with Labour not far behind in third.
Both Labour and the Greens currently have 26 seats on Bristol City Council, so if either party wins this by-election they would become the largest group on the council — although that changes little under the mayoral system. The race is expected to be fiercely fought with both parties and Liberal Democrats expected to “throw the kitchen sink” at campaigning to win, according to Mr Booth.
