UPDATE: The second round of votes gave Khan a resounding win over Goldsmith, and he now has a total of 57 precent to Goldsmith’s 43 percent.
The Labour Party has almost won London’s 2016 Mayoral election, with 44 percent to Sadiq Khan versus 35 percent to Zac Goldsmith after the first-round results, May 6.
Neither candidate obtained 50 percent of the vote, which means the election moves to a second round. Here, all but the top two candidates will stay in the race. Any voter whose first choice candidate is knocked out of the running, and picked Khan or Goldsmith as their second choice on the ballot, will now have their vote added to the leading contenders.
Predictions suggest the Conservative Party’s Goldsmith has too much ground to cover to be able to beat 45-year-old Khan—who will likely be named the first Muslim to be elected to the office.
Although official results are expected late Friday night, politicians and media are already calling Khan the winner.
Running on a platform of policies—which includes dealing with London’s current lack of affordable housing, instituting a modern and economical transportation system, and restoring the city to safe air quality levels—Khan looks to the mayoral seat with a 45.6 percent voter turnout, reported the BBC.
In 2005, Khan was elected Member of Parliament for Tooting—in South London—after working as a human rights lawyer, specifically in employment and discrimination law.
This wouldn’t be Khan’s first time making history; he was the first Muslim to win a London constituency when he won Tooting 11 years ago.
