WIREDGOV

A growing number of candidates faced abuse and intimidation at this year’s elections, while voters have significant concerns about the accuracy of information they see, according to the Electoral Commission’s new report on elections held in England in May.

Public confidence in the running of elections remains high – with 94% of voters in England satisfied with the process of voting, and 87% confident the elections were well run. Local election turnout was notably higher than comparable elections in recent years. 

However, the Commission has previously raised concerns about candidate safety, and the survey shows that a growing number of candidates continue to experience unacceptable levels of abuse and intimidation. 55% of candidates said they had a problem with harassment or intimidation, which is an increase from 47% in 2025. Women, people from ethnic minority backgrounds and those with a disability were more likely to experience abuse.

Vijay Rangarajan, Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission, said: 

“Without improvements to candidate safety, there is a significant risk that people will be put off standing in future elections. It requires work right across the electoral community to prioritise the safety of all those taking part.

“Parties have a responsibility to make it clear to their members that they should respect all candidates, regardless of which party they represent, while social media companies should act faster to remove abusive content aimed at candidates, and identify those responsible.

“These elections demonstrate the growing threats posed to democracy. Protecting those who participate in our elections, whether in the polling booth or on the campaign trail, is a vital part of a healthy democracy.”

Action is also required to maintain the confidence of voters and those participating in elections, by addressing misinformation and keeping candidates safe from abuse and intimidation. The Commission’s survey found that more than half of people said they saw misinformation ahead of the elections, and one in ten said they saw deepfake material.

The Commission is calling for the UK Government to require social media platforms to strengthen their responses to mis- and disinformation. It says electoral law should reflect the risk posed by new threats, such as generative AI.

Vijay continued:

“Voters are happy with how elections are run, and turn out increased this year, but many voters are telling us that they are worried about mis and disinformation.

“The UK Government and the social media platforms need to take urgent action to protect voters from misinformation.  

“Social media platforms should be required to improve how they protect the integrity of information about elections. We want to see them carry out risk assessments on how their services might be used to create or share harmful mis- or dis-information. They also need to make it easier for trusted partners to highlight potentially harmful mis- or dis-information. In addition, our election laws should be updated to keep pace with advances in digital campaigning.”

The Commission’s full report on the 2026 local elections in England can be viewed on the Commission’s website, alongside reports covering May’s Scottish Parliament and Senedd elections, also published today.

For more information contact the Electoral Commission press office on 020 7271 0704, out of office hours 07789 920 414 or press@electoralcommission.org.uk (Opens in new window). 

The Electoral Commission is the independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK. We work to promote public confidence in the democratic process and ensure its integrity by:

• enabling the delivery of free and fair elections and referendums, focusing on the needs of electors and addressing the changing environment to ensure every vote remains secure and accessible
• regulating political finance – taking proactive steps to increase transparency, ensure compliance and pursue breaches
• using our expertise to make and advocate for changes to our democracy, aiming to improve fairness, transparency, and efficiency

The Commission was set up in 2000 and reports to the UK, Welsh, and Scottish Parliaments.

All public opinion figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 3,808 adults in areas in England holding elections. Fieldwork was undertaken between 8th May - 2nd June 2026. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all adults in the electorate (aged 18+).