Milton Keynes City Council’s local elections will take place on Thursday 7 May, and every single council seat will be contested under brand-new ward boundaries.
The changes follow an independent review and two public consultations by the Local Government Boundary Commission, the national body that draws boundaries for English elections. As population changes over time, the Commission routinely reviews an area’s boundaries to ensure councillors represent about the same number of electors. Milton Keynes’ boundaries were last reviewed and redrawn in 2014.
Last year, the Commission confirmed its final recommendations:
- The number of councillors will increase from 57 to 60
- Wards will increase from 19 to 21
- There will be 19 three-councillor wards, one two-councillor ward (New Bradwell), and one single-councillor ward (Hanslope)
The new boundaries can be viewed on the Commission’s website. Your polling card, which you will receive in early April, will confirm which ward you live in.
While some councils across the country have asked to delay their elections because they’re becoming unitary authorities, this is not the case in Milton Keynes. Milton Keynes City Council is already a unitary authority, and elections will take place as planned.
Registering to vote is quick and easy. It takes just five minutes. You will need your National Insurance number. You can register online today. To vote in the May local elections in Milton Keynes you will need to register before 20 April.
Further information about the May 2026 election can be found on www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/elections-2026.
Other important deadlines:
- If you are applying for a postal vote, you should do this before 5pm on Tuesday 21 April
- If you want someone else to vote on your behalf (called a proxy vote) you should apply before 5pm on Tuesday 28 April
- In accordance with national rules, you will need to bring accepted photographic identification to the polling station to vote in person. You can also apply for a free Voter ID known as a Voter Authority Certificate before 5pm on Tuesday 28 April