Richmond is one of the London boroughs least aligned to its electorate's votes in the last local election, according to a new ranking compiled by electoral reform campaigners.

The Liberal Democrats took 89% of Richmond upon Thames seats in 2022 with 55% of the vote, which the Supervote Project pointed out left other voters more unrepresented than in most other boroughs.

The Supervote Project ranked London boroughs for the disparity between the number of votes for parties and the seats won by them in their last local elections, whereby Richmond emerged with a greater contrast than most of London.

Creating four categories, it ranked councils from 10% disparity and over, through 20% and over and 30% and over to a disparity of 40% and over.

The group placed Richmond Upon Thames in its third-highest category, landing it in the '30% and over' category.

Despite winning just over half of voters over in 2022, Lib Dems gained almost all the council's seats due to the first-past-the-post voting system.

This contrasts the results of the Conservatives, who won only one seat despite a quarter of the council voting for them.

Meanwhile, the Greens won five seats with only 5% of the vote.

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Richmond's last local election, in 2022, consolidated the Liberal Democrats' control of the borough, which it had held since the previous local election in 2018.

In 2022's wider local elections, the Liberal Democrats enjoyed more growth than any other party, with 194 new councillors elected, compared to Green, who were up 63 councillors, and Labour, who were up 22.

The Supervote Project asserts that the first-past-the-post voting system represents a lapse in democracy, which could be improved by using proportional representation, a style of voting whereby each vote meaningfully amplifies the party's position, no matter which ward it is placed in.

In first-past-the-post, the winning candidate does not need over 50% of the vote to be elected. For example, in the May 2024 Cornwall Council elections, the Truro Moresk & Trehaverne Division councillor was elected with just 19% of the vote.

Despite first-past-the-post paying off for them in Richmond in 2022, the Liberal Democrats campaign for proportional representation, stating that it reflects their inherent focus on democracy.

Sarah Olney, Lib Dem MP for Richmond Park, introduced legislation in Parliament towards this.

Jasmin Harper, campaigns organiser for Lib Dems in Richmond and Twickenham, said: "The Liberal Democrats are focused on fighting for a fairer Richmond — from tackling the cost of living crisis facing local residents to campaigning for a more democratic and representative electoral system."

The Liberal Democrats have long campaigned for a fairer voting system at both the local and national levels.

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However, we operate within the current electoral system, and in Richmond, elections have historically been contested between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives."

Under the current system, many voters who support other parties — including Labour and the Green Party — sometimes choose to lend their support to the Liberal Democrats as it is clear we are the only challengers to the Conservatives."

That dynamic reflects the realities of first-past-the-post rather than the proportional representation we continue to fight for."

Harper also asserted that increasing alignment between Conservative and Reform voices locally and nationally has encouraged residents who want to keep them from getting into power in Richmond to come together behind the Liberal Democrats.