Niko Omilana secured 49,628 first-preference votes (2.0% of the vote share) in his Mayoral election bid. Running as an Independent under his satirical "NDL" (Niko Defence League) umbrella, the 23-year-old YouTuber placed fifth overall in a crowded field of 20 candidates.
He finished ahead of high-profile political figures, including former actor Laurence Fox of the Reclaim Party (47,634 votes) and London Real's Brian Rose (31,111 votes). Although media reports frequently refer to his "2020 campaign," the election took place on May 6, 2021, after the UK government postponed the original 2020 election date by 12 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Full Breakdown of the Mayoral Election Results
The 2021 London Mayoral contest featured the largest ballot in the history of the office. Incumbent Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan retained City Hall, while Conservative candidate Shaun Bailey finished second.
Omilana's performance surprised traditional pollsters. He outperformed established political parties and well-funded independent campaigns across London's 32 boroughs and the City of London.
- Sadiq Khan (Labour Party): 1,013,721 votes (40.0%)
- Shaun Bailey (Conservative Party): 893,051 votes (35.3%)
- Siân Berry (Green Party): 197,976 votes (7.8%)
- Luisa Porritt (Liberal Democrats): 111,496 votes (4.4%)
- Niko Omilana (Independent): 49,628 votes (2.0%)
- Laurence Fox (Reclaim Party): 47,634 votes (1.9%)
- Brian Rose (London Real Party): 31,111 votes (1.2%)
According to official figures published by London Elects, overall voter turnout reached 42.2%. Omilana retained his £10,000 candidate deposit by winning more than 2.0% of the total vote—a threshold that eliminated 15 other candidates on the ballot.
Why the Election Moved from 2020 to 2021
Voters often search for Omilana's 2020 mayoral bid because the campaign officially kicked off when he declared his intent during the 2020 election cycle.
The UK Parliament passed emergency legislation delaying all local, mayoral, and Police and Crime Commissioner elections scheduled for May 2020. Public health precautions pushed the election date to May 6, 2021.
Omilana used the extended timeline to build a social media campaign around the Niko Omilana YouTube channel. He leveraged online engagement into physical votes at polling stations across Greater London.
The Voting System Behind the Campaign
The 2021 Mayoral race used the Supplementary Vote (SV) system. Under this ruleset, electors cast two separate choices on their ballot paper: a first-preference vote and a second-preference vote.
- First-Preference Count: All first-choice votes across all 20 candidates are counted. If a candidate receives over 50% of the vote outright, they are declared the winner.
- Elimination Stage: If no candidate reaches the 50% threshold, the top two candidates advance to an instant runoff. All other 18 candidates—including Omilana—are eliminated simultaneously.
- Second-Preference Allocation: Ballots cast for eliminated candidates are re-examined. If a voter marked one of the top two finalists as their second preference, that vote transfers to that candidate's running total.
Omilana actively instructed his supporters to use the SV system strategically. He asked voters to mark him as their first choice while selecting an established candidate as their second choice. This tactic allowed young voters to support a satirical campaign without forfeiting their influence on the final result between Khan and Bailey.
Campaign Strategy: Turning Digital Influence into Real Votes
Omilana built his political platform using viral content, street stunts, and satirical policy proposals. His platform included capping the price of croissants and tying politicians' pay to nurses' salaries.
To run for Mayor of London, candidates must meet legal prerequisites enforced by the electoral administrator:
- Nomination Signatures: Gather 330 valid signatures from registered voters across Greater London (10 from each of the 32 London boroughs plus 10 from the City of London).
- Financial Deposit: Submit a £10,000 deposit, which is refunded only if the candidate secures at least 5% of the vote.
- Official Manifesto: Submit a formal campaign address for inclusion in the official booklet delivered to millions of London households.
Omilana organized his fan base to complete the signature gathering process in early 2021. He documented the bureaucracy on video, showing the administrative steps required to secure a position on an official UK ballot.
Common Campaign Execution Pitfalls
Independent and unconventional political campaigns often stumble over legal and administrative hurdles. Omilana avoided several traps that frequently disqualify non-traditional candidates:
- Invalid Signatures: Nominations fail when signers aren't registered to vote in the specific borough they represent. Candidates should collect a 20% surplus of signatures per borough to account for administrative rejections.
- Deposit Loss: Failing to reach the vote threshold results in forfeiting the £10,000 deposit. Candidates must evaluate whether their ground game can deliver thousands of real-world votes rather than online views.
- Election Spending Violations: UK electoral law strictly limits campaign expenditures during the official regulation period. Mixing personal business promotion with political advertising can trigger legal audits from the Electoral Commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Niko Omilana get his £10,000 deposit back?
No. Under the rules governing London Mayoral elections, a candidate must receive at least 5% of the total first-preference votes to have their £10,000 deposit returned. Omilana finished with 2.0% of the vote (49,628 votes), meaning his deposit was forfeited to the Returning Officer.
Which candidates did Niko Omilana beat?
Omilana finished ahead of 15 other candidates. Notable figures he outpolled include actor Laurence Fox (Reclaim Party), former banker Brian Rose (London Real Party), Valerie Brown (Burning Pink), Piers Corbyn (Let London Live), and Count Binface.
Was Niko Omilana allowed to run in the 2024 London Mayoral election?
Yes, he was legally eligible to run again. However, changes under the Elections Act 2022 replaced the Supplementary Vote system with First-Past-The-Post for subsequent London Mayoral elections.
Why do some sources list the election year as 2020 instead of 2021?
The election was originally scheduled for May 7, 2020. The UK government delayed all local and regional elections by one full year due to emergency public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The election was officially held on May 6, 2021.
