Mayor of Bristol

The Local Government Act 2000 required local authorities in the United Kingdom to move from the traditional committee-based system of decision making to one based on an executive, also allowing the possibility of a directly elected mayor.[9] The first directly elected mayor was in Greater London in 2000.[10] Others followed in other authorities, including Hartlepool,[11] Middlesbrough,[11] Tower Hamlets,[12] Liverpool[13] and Salford.[14]

Following the passage of The City of Bristol (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012 by the United Kingdom Parliament in February 2012,[15] a referendum was announced for 3 May 2012.[16] Nine other cities also held referendums on the same day: Birmingham,[17] Bradford,[18] Coventry,[19] Leeds,[20] Manchester,[21] Newcastle upon Tyne,[22] Nottingham,[23] Sheffield[24] and Wakefield.[25] In addition, Doncaster Borough Council voted to hold a referendum on the same day to decide whether or not to retain their existing elected mayoral system, having been one of the earliest authorities to adopt the mayoral system in 2001.[26][27]

Campaigning groups supporting (A Mayor for Bristol)[28] and opposing (Bristol Says No!)[29] an elected mayor were established. A debate organised by the University of Bristol took place in the Council House on 22 February 2012.[30]

During the campaign, there were complaints that many voters did not receive leaflets produced by the city council explaining what the referendum was about.[31][32] Cities minister, Greg Clark accused the council of inaccuracies in the leaflet and refused to cover the printing costs.[33] After Clark promised more powers would be available to Bristol with an elected mayor, the city council accused him of "blackmail".[34]

The result, declared on 4 May 2012 by returning officer Stephen McNamara, was in favour of creating the position. Bristol was the only one of the ten cities voting that day to choose to have an elected mayor.[7]

Bristol Mayoral referendum
4 May 2012

Choice	Votes	%
Elected Mayor	41,032	53
Cabinet System	35,880	47
Total votes	76,912	100.00
Source: [5]

The first election for the new post was held on 15 November 2012,[35] the same day as elections for a Police and Crime Commissioner for the Avon and Somerset Constabulary area.[36] A number of potential candidates expressed and interest in standing,[37] and 15 candidates stood for election to be mayor.[38]

The supplementary vote system is used for the elections, with each voter being entitled to list a first and second choice candidate. In this system if no candidate has more than half of the votes plus one in the first round of counting, all candidates other than the top two are eliminated and voters' second choices from the eliminated candidates are then allocated to the remaining candidates. The second election for Mayor of Bristol took place in May 2016.[39]

See also List of Lord Mayors of Bristol

• Politics of Bristol
• Mayor of the West of England