Forthcoming elections
Change to SBC election cycle from Thursday, 7 May 2026
Swindon Borough Council unanimously resolved on Thursday, 12 October 2023 to move to whole council elections from May 2026.
Further information is available to view in the explanatory document (PDF).
Local Government Elections
The next scheduled elections are on Thursday, 7 May 2026 for Swindon Borough Council and all parish councils within the borough.
The Swindon Borough Council elections have 57 council positions being contested across 25 wards. Nominations open on Monday, 23 March and close at 4.00pm on Thursday, 9 April 2026.
The Notice of Election - Borough 2026 (PDF) contains a list of the wards and the number of seats to be elected, along with the key statutory election and electoral registration deadlines.
The Notice of Election - Parishes 2026 (PDF) contains a list of the parishes and the number of seats to be elected, along with the key statutory election and electoral registration deadlines.
A nomination pack, including an election agent notification form (PDF), to stand for election to a borough ward, is now available. You can find further information on standing as a borough council candidate on the Electoral Commission website.
Prospective candidates and agents may also find the slides from the agent meeting (PDF), hosted by the Returning Officer on 25 February 2026, useful.
You can find further information about the role of a councillor from the Local Government Association and on our becoming a councillor webpage.
A nomination pack to stand for election to a parish council (PDF) is now also available. You can find further information for prospective parish council candidates on the Electoral Commission website and there is also an online training guide available for prospective parish candidates that will assist in the completion of nomination forms.
Book an appointment for an informal check of your nomination paper(s)
Completed papers must be hand delivered. It is strongly recommended they are checked before they are submitted, as any errors may result in the nomination(s) being rejected.
To help us check your paperwork we run an appointment system.
Use our appointment booking service to choose a time and date for an informal check.
Book an electoral nomination appointment
You will receive a confirmation email with the date, time and location of your appointment. Appointments will usually take around 15 minutes.
If you cannot use the online booking service
If you need help booking an appointment or cannot access the service online, you can contact the Elections Team:
- Email: elecreg@swindon.gov.uk
- Tel: 01793 463997
Find your polling station
Referendums and petitions 2026
The Local Government Act 2000 requires the Council to publish a notice which sets out the minimum number of signatures which would be needed to support a valid petition requiring the Council to hold a referendum on whether the borough should change to a different form of governance. This applies to petitions to the Council, submitted between 1 April 2026 and 31 March 2027.