MORE THAN 30,000 ballots were rejected in the Thames Valley police and crime commissioner election.
In the count, which saw former deputy PCC Matthew Barber elected, there were 16,011 ballots rejected at the first-round stage. Of these, 7,533 were unmarked, 3,165 were void and 5,234 saw people vote for more than one candidate.
In the second round, 15,388 didn’t have a second preference, and 173 made more than one vote.
The combined figure, of 31,761, was nearly half that of fourth placed candidate, independent Alan Robinson. The former police officer polled 77,210 votes.
In third place, with 110,072 votes, was Liberal Democrat John Howson.
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They were both eliminated from the contest, and their votes redistributed among the first and second preference choices, Labour’s Laetisia Carter (175,123 first-round votes) and Mr Barber’s 267,404.
The Conservative candidate picked up 45,744 votes in the second round, giving him a total of 313,148 votes, while Ms Carter had 58,323 votes, taking her to 233,446.
Mr Barber said: “I am delighted to have been elected as the next Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley”.
His priorities include fighting organised crime, cyber-crime and fraud, and tackling illegal encampments.
He will be formally installed into office on Thursday, May 13, and takes over from former police commissioner Anthony Stansfeld.
The police and crime commissioner election was held on Thursday, May 6. The results for Wokingham Borough were counted on Monday, May 10 at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre and then sent on to Spiceball Leisure Centre in Banbury.
The process was overseen by Cherwell District Council in Oxfordshire.
The police and crime commissioner election was delayed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
For more details, www.thamesvalley-pcc.gov.uk
