| Results 2005: C hold |
| Candidate (Party) | Votes (percentage) | |
| Gerald Howarth (C) | 20,572 (42.73%, +0.55%) | |
| Adrian Collett (LD) | 15,238 (31.65%, +4.03%) | |
| Howard Linsley (Lab) | 9,895 (20.55%, -4.60%) | |
| Derek Rumsey (UKIP) | 1,182 (2.46%, +0.70%) | |
| Gary Cowd (Eng Dem) | 701 (1.46%) | |
| Howling Lord Hope (Loony) | 553 (1.15%, +0.29%) | |
| |
| C maj 5,334 (11.08%) | |
| 1.74% swing C to LD |
| Electorate 78,553 |
| Turnout 48,141 (61.28%, +3.42%) | |
|
| Results 2001 | | |
| Name | Party | Votes |
| Gerald Howarth | Conservative | 19,106 |
| Adrian Collett | Liberal Democrat | 12,542 |
| Luke Akehurst | Labour | 11,391 |
| Derek Rumsey | UK Independence Party | 797 |
| Adam Stacey | Green Party | 630 |
| Arthur Pendragon | Independent | 459 |
| Alan Hope | Monster Raving Loony Party | 390 |
| Conservative | Majority | 6,564 |
 |
| Swing to Conservative | | 1.13 |
 |
| Results 1997 | | |
| Name | Party | Votes |
| Howarth | Conservative | 23,119 |
| Collett | Liberal Democrat | 16,498 |
| Bridgeman | Labour | 13,057 |
| Howe | UK Independence Party | 794 |
| Pendragon | Independent | 361 |
| Stevens | British National Party | 322 |
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