On 10 July 2025, the UK government introduced the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, which officially abolishes First Past the Post for Mayoral and Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections, reinstating the Supplementary Vote (SV) system.
This reversal undoes the 2022 change and allows voters to cast a second-choice preference once again .
Why the change matters:
• Broader mandates: Mayors and PCCs wield significant local authority (covering millions and large budgets), and under FPTP recently, some were elected with as little as 25% of first‑choice votes, for instance, the West of England mayor in May 2025.
• Fairer representation: SV ensures a winner has broader support by counting voters’ second preferences if no one gets over 50% initially.
• Countering prior bias: The 2022 switch to FPTP was believed to advantage the Conservatives, particularly in PCC contests. Reverting restores a system more suited to multiparty contests.
What happens next:
• The bill has been published and passed into legislation via clause 59. The change is slated for post-2027 local elections, replacing FPTP at the next rounds.
• This reinstatement marks a significant win for democracy campaigners (like Make Votes Matter, Electoral Reform Society, and the Green Party), but they view it as the first step, and continue to push for similar reform in MP and general elections.
In Short:
✅ It’s confirmed. FPTP for mayoral and PCC elections is being scrapped in favour of SV, restoring voters’ ability to express a second choice and ensuring winners have more representative support.