title: East Northamptonshire District Council elections
text: # East Northamptonshire District Council elections
  
  East Northamptonshire District Council in Northamptonshire, England was elected every four years. After the last boundary changes in 2007, 40 councillors were elected from 22 wards. The district was abolished in 2021, with the area becoming part of North Northamptonshire.
  
  ## Political control
  
  From the first election to the council in 1973 until its abolition in 2021, political control of the council was held by the following parties:
  
  | Party in control | Years |
  | - | - |
  | Conservative | 1973–1995 |
  | Labour | 1995–1999 |
  | Conservative | 1999–2021 |
  
  ### Leadership
  
  The leaders of the council from 2009 until the council's abolition in 2021 were:
  
  | Councillor | Party | Party | From | To |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Andy Mercer | | Conservative | | Oct 2010 |
  | Steven North | | Conservative | 4 Oct 2010 | 31 Mar 2021 |
  
  ## Council elections
  
  * 1973 East Northamptonshire District Council election
  * 1976 East Northamptonshire District Council election
  * 1979 East Northamptonshire District Council election (New ward boundaries)
  * 1983 East Northamptonshire District Council election
  * 1987 East Northamptonshire District Council election
  * 1991 East Northamptonshire District Council election
  * 1995 East Northamptonshire District Council election
  * 1999 East Northamptonshire District Council election (New ward boundaries)
  * 2003 East Northamptonshire District Council election
  * 2007 East Northamptonshire District Council election (New ward boundaries increased the number of seats by 4)
  * 2011 East Northamptonshire District Council election
  * 2015 East Northamptonshire District Council election (Some new ward boundaries)
  
  ## Election results
  
  | | Overall control | | Conservative | | Labour | | Lib Dem | | Independent |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 2015 | Conservative | 37 | 37 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 2 | 2 |
  | 2011 | Conservative | 35 | 35 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 3 | 3 |
  | 2007 | Conservative | 39 | 39 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
  | 2003 | Conservative | 33 | 33 | 3 | 3 | - | - | - | - |
  | 1999 | Conservative | 20 | 20 | 15 | 15 | - | - | 1 | 1 |
  | 1995 | Labour | 9 | 9 | 25 | 25 | 2 | 2 | - | - |
  | 1991 | Conservative | 23 | 23 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
  | 1987 | Conservative | 30 | 30 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
  | 1983 | Conservative | 30 | 30 | 6 | 6 | - | - | - | - |
  | 1979 | Conservative | 30 | 30 | 5 | 5 | - | - | 1 | 1 |
  
  * ↑ SDP–Liberal Alliance in 1987.
  
  ## District result maps
  
  * 1979 results map
  * 1983 results map
  * 1987 results map
  * 1991 results map
  * 1995 results map
  * 1999 results map
  * 2003 results map
  * 2007 results map
  * 2011 results map
  
  ## By-election results
  
  ### 1995-1999
  
  Rushden East By-Election 16 May 1996 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | | 656 | 75.4 |
  | | Conservative | | 214 | 24.6 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 442 | 50.8 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 870 | 22.4 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
  
  Woodford By-Election 12 September 1996 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | | 325 | 65.1 |
  | | Conservative | | 174 | 34.9 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 151 | 30.2 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 499 | |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
  
  Rushden North By-Election 17 October 1996 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | | 365 | 43.3 |
  | | Conservative | | 352 | 41.7 |
  | | Independent | | 127 | 15.1 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 13 | 1.6 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 844 | 18.5 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
  
  Rushden West By-Election 3 April 1997 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | | 712 | 67.0 |
  | | Conservative | | 351 | 33.0 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 361 | 34.0 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,063 | |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
  
  Rushden South By-Election 13 November 1997 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | | 525 | 55.7 | +15.2 |
  | | Labour | | 418 | 44.3 | -15.2 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 107 | 11.4 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 943 | 16.1 | |
  | | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
  
  ### 1999-2003
  
  Ringstead By-Election 14 October 1999 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | | 316 | 64.5 | -6.6 |
  | | Labour | | 174 | 35.5 | +6.6 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 142 | 29.0 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 490 | 37.9 | |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
  
  Fineshade By-Election 18 April 2002 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | | 366 | 83.9 |
  | | Labour | | 70 | 16.1 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 296 | 67.8 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 436 | |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
  
  Ringstead By-Election 18 April 2002 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | | 379 | 67.7 | -3.4 |
  | | Labour | | 181 | 32.3 | +3.4 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 198 | 35.4 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 560 | | |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
  
  ### 2003-2007
  
  Lower Nene By-Election 25 September 2003 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | | unopposed | | |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
  
  Rushden East By-Election 27 July 2006 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | Sean Lever | 506 | 66.4 | +21.5 |
  | | Labour | Stephen Allen | 256 | 33.6 | -2.9 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 250 | 32.8 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 762 | 15.8 | |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
  
  ### 2007-2011
  
  Higham Ferrers Lancaster By-Election 5 July 2007 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | Pam Whiting | unopposed | | |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
  