An election to Somerset County Council took place on 2 May 2013 as part of the 2013 United Kingdom local elections. 55 councillors were elected from 54 electoral divisions, which returned one county councillor each with the exception of the two-member Glastonbury & Street division. Members were elected by the first-past-the-post voting system for a four-year term of office. The electoral divisions were changed from those used at the previous election in 2009, reducing the number of county councillors from 58 to 55 from this election. No elections were held in North Somerset or Bath and North East Somerset, which are unitary authorities outside the area covered by the County Council.
The Conservative Party retained control of the council, despite having their majority reduced. They won 28 of the 54 seats contested on 2 May, in addition to the division of Coker, where the election was delayed until 16 May due to the death of one of the candidates.
All locally registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) who were aged 18 or over on Thursday 2 May 2013 were entitled to vote in the local elections. Those who were temporarily away from their ordinary address (for example, away working, on holiday, in student accommodation or in hospital) were also entitled to vote in the local elections, although those who had moved abroad and registered as overseas electors cannot vote in the local elections. It is possible to register to vote at more than one address (such as a university student who had a term-time address and lives at home during holidays) at the discretion of the local Electoral Register Office, but it remains an offence to vote more than once in the same local government election.
Overall results
Results by division
Bishops Hull & Taunton West
Blackdown & Neroche
Blackmoor Vale
Note: Alex Wood's candidature was suspended shortly before the elections, due to photos which appeared on his private Facebook account, showing him making a Nazi-style salute and with a knife in his teeth.
Brent
Bridgwater East & Bawdrip
Bridgwater North & Central
Bridgwater South
The nomination of Judith Kendall (Liberal Democrats) was ruled as invalid
Bridgwater West
Brympton
Burnham on Sea North
Cannington
David Wilson (UK Independence Party) was withdrawn as a candidate before the close of nominations
Castle Cary
Chard North
Chard South
Cheddar
Coker
Election was deferred until 16 May 2013, due to the death of the original UK Independence Party candidate, Audrey Spencer
Comeytrowe & Trull
Crewkerne
Curry Rivel & Langport
Dulverton & Exmoor
Dunster
Frome East
Frome North
Frome West
Glastonbury & Street
Highbridge & Burnham South
Huntspill
Ilminster
King Alfred
Lydeard
Martock
Mendip Central & East
Mendip Hills
Mendip South
Mendip West
Minehead
Monkton & North Curry
North Petherton
Rowbarton & Staplegrove
Shepton Mallet
Somerton
South Petherton and Islemoor
Taunton East
Taunton North
Taunton South
Upper Tone
Watchet & Stogursey
Wellington
Wells
Wincanton & Bruton
Yeovil Central
Yeovil East
Yeovil South
Yeovil West
References