Here’s where it gets deliciously chaotic. You don’t just vote for one person—oh no, London loves a multiple-choice nightmare. You get two ballots: one for your first choice and one for your second choice. It’s called the Supplementary Vote system, and it’s basically a dating app for politicians. If your first candidate doesn’t get enough love, your second choice gets a shot. It’s like Tinder, but with less ghosting and more policy pledges about cycle lanes.
This system has produced some glorious disasters. In 2008, Boris Johnson won by a hair—only 53% of the final vote—which means nearly half of London was basically screaming, “No, not the hair guy!” And yet, he became mayor and then Prime Minister. Proof that London’s voting system is both a miracle of democracy and a machine for chaos.
Who’s Running? (Or, The Circus Comes to Town)
Mayoral races are like a reality TV show, but with fewer sharks and more housing policy. For 2026, the usual suspects are circling. Sadiq Khan—the current mayor and a man who seems to run on a diet of determination and Oyster cards—will likely seek a third term. He’s been in office since 2016, which is roughly 47 years in London political time. The Conservatives will probably trot out someone who promises to “cut traffic” and then does absolutely nothing about it.
London Mayoral Election 2026 – Sadiq Khan London Mayor – AGDOB
But here’s the kicker: anyone can run, as long as you pay a £5,000 deposit and get 10 signatures from borough councillors or MPs. That means you could run. Your cat could run (if it had opposable thumbs). In 2026, a candidate named “Count Binface” (a sentient bin) actually got 1,500 votes. I’m not joking. Londoners will vote for a talking trash can before they vote for a dull policy wonk. So expect the unexpected—maybe a candidate who promises “free avocado toast for all” or “banning seagulls from the Tube.”
