VOTE 2024: How to follow the local & mayoral elections with Sky News

Monday 29 April 2024

Sophy Ridge, Mark Austin and Jonathan Samuels to front two days of special coverage
Beth Rigby, Sam Coates, Ed Conway and Michael Thrasher to provide expert analysis
Special editions of the Politics Hub, and podcasts Electoral Dysfunction and Politics at Jack and Sam's

Voters across England and Wales will go to polls on Thursday 2^nd May to elect councillors, metro mayors and police and crime commissioners in what will be the last big electoral test before the next general election.

Sky News will bring audiences the full story, first, with special coverage from when the polls close, through the weekend to the mayoral result announcements. With the award-winning political unit of Beth Rigby, Sam Coates and Ed Conway joining presenters Sophy Ridge, Mark Austin and Jonathan Samuels to explore and analyse the results and what they mean for the country.

Dan Williams, Head of Politics, Sky News, said: “The 2024 local and mayoral elections will help reveal public opinion heading into a general election and will have implications for all parties. From the when the polls close to the results being announced over the weekend, Sky News will bring audiences the full story, first, with expert analysis across all platforms and reporting teams across the UK.”

Here’s how to follow the local elections on Sky News for free, wherever you get your news

The action will begin from midnight on Friday 3^rd May after the polls close, as Jonathan Samuels presents a Vote 2024 overnight results programme alongside Tamara Cohen and Gurpreet Narwan from 12am to 6am, bringing viewers the latest updates as the race to count votes begins.

They'll be joined by Sky News' political team and Sky's Election Analyst Professor Michael Thrasher.

Expert regional and political correspondents will also take audiences to key voting areas across the UK, including the by-election in Blackpool South, to provide full story of what’s happening on the ground.

Throughout Friday, the special coverage will continue with lead politics presenter Sophy Ridge and chief presenter Mark Austin. They’ll be joined by Sky News’ award-winning political team including Political Editor, Beth Rigby; Deputy Political Editor, Sam Coates; and Economics and Data Editor, Ed Conway, analysing the data and asking the big questions as the results come in.

Michael Thrasher will help audiences visualise the impact of the results with the first digital projections of the House of Commons and national estimated vote share. Ridge will also host a special edition of Politics Hub on Friday evening, offering a full analysis and breakdown of the local elections from 7pm – 9pm.

With the story moving to mayoral results over the weekend, Ridge will be back in the studio with full coverage of the results, before bringing the weekend’s reporting to a close with a second special episode of Politics Hub on Saturday evening, 7pm – 9pm.

Special editions of Sky News’ chart-topping podcasts will also air throughout the weekend: Electoral Dysfunction’s Beth Rigby, Jess Phillips MP and Ruth Davidson will regroup early on Friday morning to react to the first major results; Sam Coates will be on the Sky News Daily Podcast on Friday afternoon for an in-depth download of the latest developments; and Sunday’s episode of Politics at Jack and Sam’s will navigate the big question of where the results leave us ahead of a general election.

VOTE 2024: TV SCHEDULE

Friday 3^rd May

Midnight – 6am: Jonathan Samuels hosts Vote 2024 overnight results programme

10am – 5pm: Vote 2024 election special with Sophy Ridge

5pm – 7pm – Mark Austin presenting the News Hour

Friday afternoon: local election specials of Electoral Dysfunction and the Daily Podcast live

7pm – 9pm – special edition of the Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge

Saturday 4^th May

Coverage continues through the day with Sophy Ridge presenting from 3pm.

7pm – 9pm – special edition of the Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge

Sunday 5^th May

8:30am – Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips