By George Torr
Ros Jones will be Doncaster’s elected mayor for a third term and secured a majority of over 10,000.
It wasn’t as simple for Labour this time around as the count went to second preference votes. Jones received 48.3 per cent on the first ballot – any candidate who doesn’t receive 50 per cent first time around means second preference votes are counted.
Jones received 31,232 votes in total after second preference ballots were counted.
Jones, who was supported by Labour MPs Ed Miliband, Rosie Winterton and a number of party activists, celebrated the result and said she would ‘fight for every town and village’.
The nearest challenger to Jones, Conservative James Hart received 21,019 votes in total with 28.4 per cent of the vote in the first round of voting.
The party were hoping to mirror success seen in the Hartlepool by-election in which the Tories took the parliamentary seat in the Labour stronghold.
Despite falling short, The Tories increased their mayoral vote share by around 8,000.
Independent candidate Frank Calladine beat the Green Party, Yorkshire Party and Reform UK came to finish in third with 5,166.
Speaking after the result, Jones said: “I would like to thank those residents of Doncaster who have voted for me. I am privileged and humbled to lead our beloved borough as the Labour mayor for a third term.
“Later when our councillors are announced, I ask that they all work with me despite potential party differences, only together can we bring real change and improvements for our people. Doncaster is a large and wonderful borough, but it can be so much more, If we work together.
“I promise I will work for all our different towns and communities, to continue to fight for our borough to make this a place where people want to live, work, visit, to raise their children, and grow older leaving no one behind.”
Full results (first preference voting)
Ros Jones, Labour – 27,669 (43.8%)
James Hart, Conservative – 17,980 (28.4%)
Frank Calladine, Independent – 5,166
Andy Budden, Yorkshire Party – 4,073
Joan Briggs, Independent – 3,904
Warren Draper, Green – 3,370
Surjit Duhre, Reform UK – 1,012
Total votes after second preference voting
Ros Jones – 31,232
James Hart – 21,019
(Local Democracy Reporting Service)
