Latest in Devon and Cornwall Police Commissioner election result

Ballots begun to be counted at 9.30am on Monday, but more than eight hours later, results from Cornwall were still outstanding.

At the other 11 counts, results for the first round had been known since 12.30pm, but the Cornish figures were needed before it was known if any one candidate secured 50 per cent of the vote, or if the second round was needed.

Returning officer John Street, at 5.30pm, made an announcement at the Riverside Leisure Centre in Exeter, where the overall results were due to be announced.

The Police and Crime Commissioner count at the Riverside (Image Daniel Clark)

He said: “There is a discrepancy in the figures from Cornwall which is sufficient for us to wait to correct that the best that they can before we can go onto anything else.

“So please bear with us, I know it is a long time it is taking, it is out of our control, they are doing the best they can as to get that done as quickly as they are aware, and as soon as I get anymore, I will let you know.

Incumbent Alison Hernandez of the Conservative Party was being challenged by Labour’s Gareth Derrick, the Liberal Democrats Brian Blake, and Stuart Jackson of the Green Party for the role.

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Turnout was up on 2016 – 36.7 per cent compared to 22.1 per cent – although slightly impacted by the fact there were only elections in Exeter and Plymouth taking place at the same time five years ago.

The elections were due to take place in May 2020, but were postponed for a year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, meaning that whoever wins will only serve a three year term to return to the usual electoral cycle.

In the 2016 election, Ms Hernandez was elected with 51.1 per cent of the vote in the second round over Mr Derrick’s 48.9 per cent.

The Police and Crime Commissioner count at the Riverside (Image Daniel Clark)

The elections are run under a supplementary vote system. Under this system, a voter is asked to indicate his/her first and second choice of candidate, and if no candidate has more than 50 per cent of first choice votes, the two candidates with the highest number of first choice votes go forward to a second round.

In the second round, residents, whose first choice candidate lost in the first round, have their votes re-allocated to their second choice.

A result was expected by around 1pm if only the first round is required, and by around 5pm if a second round is needed, but as 6pm approached, no result from even the first round was confirmed due to the delay from Cornwall.

UPDATE 10.55PM: Conservative canidate Alison Hernandez has been elected for a second term as Police and Crime Commissioner, after the count went into a second round. 

After no one got an overall majority in the first round of counting, second preference votes for Mr Blake and Mr Jackson were counted and added to the totals that Ms Hernandez and Mr Derrick gained in round one, as the top two placing candidates. 

Ms Hernandez then received a total of 275,217 votes, with Mr Derrick 146,979. 

More to follow tomorrow.