Architect George Ferguson was today voted in as Bristol’s first elected mayor.
Speaking following the count for the second preference votes, he said he wanted to bring the people ofthe city together. “There will be a new way of doing things,” he said.
Mr Ferguson, famous for his trademark red trousers, received a total of 37, 353 votes. Labour’s Martin Rees, who was favourite for most of the campaign, came second with a total of 31, 259 votes.
Mr Ferguson, an independent running under the name Bristol 1st, polled 31,321 first-choice votes with Labour’s Marvin Rees gaining 25,896.
As neither candidate got 50% plus one vote from the first choice votes, the second choice votes of the two candidates were counted.
Figures released by Bristol City Council this morning showed 27.92% of people overall cast their vote – with 57.84% of postal votes returned and 22.93% of voters going to the polls across the city.
The count began at the huge University of the West of England (UWE) conference centre at 9am. The turnout by different wards across Bristol showed a mixed picture – with the predicted high turnout in traditional Conservative areas. In Westbury-on-Trym, the turnout figure was listed as 48.78% – the highest in any ward. There were five areas in the city with a 40%-plus turnout, including: Ashley, Bishopston, Bishopsworth, Henleaze and Southville.
Photo by Jon Craig http://www.joncraig.co.uk
