Cross Gates and Whinmoor by-election
A by-election for Cross Gates and Whinmoor ward will be held on Thursday 10 December 2026.
Information relating to the vacancy and election can be found below. Candidate details will be published on this page after 4pm on Friday 13 November 2026.
Notice of vacancy
I must give notice, under Section 87(2)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, that a vacancy exists in the office of City Councillor for the Cross Gates and Whinmoor ward of Leeds City Council.
For a by-election to be held to fill the vacancy, a written request made by 2 registered local government electors in the Leeds City Council area must be given to:
Ed Whiting
Proper Officer
c/o Electoral Services
Civic Hall
Leeds
LS1 1UR
On receipt of a valid request, the Returning Officer will set the date of an election to be held within 35 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays), in accordance with Section 89(1)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.
Ed Whiting
Proper Officer
Dated: 2 November 2026
Timetable
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Publication of notice of election | Thursday 5 November 2026 |
| Delivery of nomination papers | Between the hours of 10am and 4pm, Friday 6 November 2026 to Friday 13 November 2026 excluding weekends |
| Deadline for withdrawals of nomination | 4pm on Friday 13 November 2026 |
| Publication of first interim election notice of alteration | Friday 13 November 2026 |
| Publication of statement of persons nominated | Not later than 4pm on Monday 16 November 2026 |
| Deadline for receiving applications for registration | Midnight on Tuesday 24 November 2026 |
| Deadline for receiving new postal vote and postal proxy applications, and for changes to existing postal or proxy votes | 5pm on Wednesday 25 November 2026 |
| Publication of second interim election notice of alteration | Thursday 26 November 2026 |
| Deadline for receiving new applications to vote by proxy (not postal proxy or emergency proxies) | 5pm on Wednesday 2 December 2026 |
| Deadline for receiving applications for Voter Authority Certificates | 5pm on Wednesday 2 December 2026 |
| Publication of notice of poll | Wednesday 2 December 2026 |
| Publication of final election notice of alteration | Thursday 3 December 2026 |
| Deadline for notification of appointment of polling and counting agents | 5pm on Thursday 3 December 2026 |
| First date that electors can apply for replacements for lost postal votes | Friday 4 December 2026 |
| Polling day | Thursday 10 December 2026 |
| Last time that electors can apply for a replacement for spoilt or lost postal votes | 5pm on Thursday 10 December 2026 |
| Deadline for emergency proxy applications | 5pm on Thursday 10 December 2026 |
| Last time to alter the register due to clerical error or court appeal | 9pm on Thursday 10 December 2026 |
| Deadline for production of temporary Voter Authority Certificates | 10pm on Thursday 10 December 2026 |
| Delivery of return as to candidate spending | If result declared before midnight on polling day, Thursday 14 January 2027. If result declared after midnight on polling day, Friday 15 January 2027 |
Notice of election
1.An election is to be held of one Councillor for the Cross Gates and Whinmoor ward of Leeds City Council.
2. Nomination papers must be delivered to the Returning Officer at Electoral Services, 4th Floor West, Civic Hall, Leeds LS1 1UR between 10am and 4pm on any working day after the date of publication of this notice (excluding bank holidays) but no later than 4pm on Friday 13 November 2026.
3. Nomination papers may be obtained from the offices of the Returning Officer, Electoral Services, 4th Floor West, Civic Hall, Leeds LS1 1UR during the times stated above, or from www.electoralcommission.org.uk.
4. If any election is contested the poll will take place on Thursday 10 December 2026.
5. Applications to register to vote must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 12 midnight on Tuesday 24 November 2026. Applications can be made online: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
6. Applications, amendments or cancellations of postal votes must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at Electoral Services, 4th Floor West, Civic Hall, Leeds LS1 1UR by 5pm on Wednesday 25 November 2026. Applications can be made online: www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote.
7. Applications for a Voter Authority Certificate or an Anonymous Elector’s Document valid for this election must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at Electoral Services, 4th Floor West, Civic Hall, Leeds LS1 1UR by 5pm on Wednesday 2 December 2026. Applications can be made online: www.gov.uk/voting-photo-id.
8. Applications to vote by proxy at this election must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at Electoral Services, 4th Floor West, Civic Hall, Leeds LS1 1UR by 5pm on Wednesday 2 December 2026. Some applications can be made online: www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote.
9. Applications to vote by emergency proxy at this election must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at Electoral Services, 4th Floor West, Civic Hall, Leeds LS1 1UR by 5pm on Thursday 10 December 2026. Application forms can be obtained from www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote.
Ed Whiting
Returning Officer
Dated: Thursday 5 November 2026
Printed and published by the Returning Officer, c/o Electoral Services, 4th Floor West, Civic Hall, Leeds LS1 1UR.
How local elections work in Leeds
Every Leeds City Council ward is represented by 3 councillors who are each elected to serve a 4 year term. Their terms are staggered so that we only select one councillor in each local election. This system is called voting by thirds because a third of councillors are elected each year, over a 4 year cycle. Due to this, once every 4 years there are no local elections. This is called a fallow year. The next fallow year in Leeds is 2029.
In 2018 we elected 3 councillors in each ward. This is because the ward boundaries had been independently reviewed to reflect changes in population and ensure each ward contains a similar amount of electors. It is likely there won’t be another ward boundary review in Leeds for around 15 years.
The next scheduled elections will be the Leeds City Council elections which will be held on Thursday 6 May 2027.
Find out:
- who can vote in local elections by visiting the electoral commission website
- about your local councillor by using the councillor search on our Democracy website
- previous elections results on Data Mill North
- the current political composition of Leeds City Council
