four mains types of elections in the uk

About elections in the UK

Discover more about the 4 mains types of elections in the UK, and how you can get involved in making your vote count.

Elections in the UK 

There are four main types of elections in the UK. In this article, we’ll walkthrough what each involves and why they’re important.

Types of elections​

It can get quite confusing knowing what type of election is being voted on.

In the UK, there are four main types of elections:

General Elections: 

These are held to elect Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons. The party with the most MPs usually forms the government. 

There are several parties in the UK. You can find out more about them in this article here – Political Parties in the UK.

Local Elections: 

These elections decide who will represent you on your local council. Local councils are responsible for services such as education, housing, and rubbish collection. 

Mayoral Elections: 

In some areas, you may also be able to vote for a directly elected mayor who will represent your city or region.

Referendums: 

A referendum is a vote where the public can express their opinion on a particular issue. Recent referendums have included decisions on Scottish independence and the UK’s membership in the European Union.

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