Election results and highlights from the New Forest count
Wow, what a night! Fuelled by dark chocolate covered coffee beans and orange squash, my first experience at a count did not disappoint.
Below are the results and highlights from the media area.
I want to say a massive thank you to YOU as well.
For your support, subscribing, reading, kind words, sending in your comments. It’s an honour, truly, to be in the position to report on local issues so thank YOU for being here.
They say media coverage is one of the main ways candidates and parties communicate with potential voters, so it has been an absolute pleasure to be involved in this election.
So, here are the final results and highlights from the evening. And I’ll see you next week for the usual ‘monthly briefing’.
Kerri Watt
Editor
New Forest results and stats
New Forest East winner: Conservative Party, Julian Lewis
New Forest West winner: Conservative Party, Desmond Swayne
Votes cast figures: 45,230 East and 46,337 West
Voter turnout: 64.26% East and 67.73% West
Rejected and disqualified papers: 146 East and 138 West
New Forest East
Conservative Party, Julian Lewis - 17,412 (elected)
Labour Party, Sasjkia Otto - 8,917
Reform UK, Roy Swales - 7,646
Liberal Democrats, Caroline Rackham - 7,198
Green Party, Simon King - 3,118
Monster Raving Loony Party, Mad Hatter - 529
Animal Welfare Society, Andrew Knight - 410
New Forest West
Conservative Party, Desmond Swayne - 16,412 (elected)
Labour Party, Sally Johnston - 10,812
Liberal Democrats, Jack Davies - 8,186
Reform UK, Reginald Philip - 7,577
Green Party, Anna Collar - 2,800
Social Democratic Party, Paul Simon - 157
Animal Welfare Society, Gavin Ridley - 393
Favourite fun fact of the night…
What is it like at an election count?
I’ve had such an amazing night. It’s 5.40am at the time of writing this and when I arrived at the leisure centre at 10pm I had NO idea how I would survive the duration.
Covering my first election as a journalist, I was equal parts nervous and excited. The ‘vibe’ at the count and in the media room was wonderful (and the sweet bags were very well received).
I spoke with many candidates, got hugs from two of them, and they (and their agents and supporters) had a big presence around the hall.
Leaving the venue to finish this final article at home, during the 5–10-minute drive home, I TOTALLY missed the big announcement of Labour winning the general election. Oops.
But at least I didn’t miss anything for the New Forest.
What a night. It really was an honour to be a small part of it.
Now… let’s sleep!