| Election Name: | 2004 Harlow District Council election |
| Type: | Parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Party Colour: | yes |
| Previous Election: | 2003 Harlow District Council election |
| Previous Year: | 2003 |
| Next Election: | 2006 Harlow District Council election |
| Next Year: | 2006 |
| Seats For Election: | 11 of the 33 seats to Harlow District Council |
| Majority Seats: | 17 |
| Election Date: | 10 June 2004 |
| Party1: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Last Election1: | 12 |
| Seats Before1: | 13 |
| Seats1: | 4 |
| Seats After1: | 13 |
| Popular Vote1: | 6,531 |
| Percentage1: | 31.7% |
| Party2: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Last Election2: | 9 |
| Seats Before2: | 9 |
| Seats2: | 5 |
| Seat Change2: | 2 |
| Seats After2: | 11 |
| Popular Vote2: | 6,812 |
| Percentage2: | 33.1% |
| Party3: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
| Last Election3: | 12 |
| Seats Before3: | 10 |
| Seats3: | 2 |
| Seat Change3: | 1 |
| Seats After3: | 9 |
| Popular Vote3: | 4,494 |
| Percentage3: | 21.8% |
| Party4: | Independent (politician) |
| Last Election4: | 0 |
| Seats Before4: | 1 |
| Seats4: | 0 |
| Seat Change4: | 1 |
| Seats After4: | 0 |
| Popular Vote4: | 2,399 |
| Percentage4: | 11.6% |
| Map Size: | 300px |
| Council control | |
| Posttitle: | Council control after election |
| Before Election: | No overall control |
| After Election: | No overall control |
The 2004 Harlow District Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members of Harlow District Council in Essex, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.[1]
After the election, the composition of the council was
After the last election in 2003 both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats had 12 seats, while Labour had 9 councillors.[3] However, in July 2003 councillor Jane Steer defected from the Liberal Democrats to the Conservatives, making the Conservatives the largest group on the council for the first time in almost 50 years with 13 seats.[4] The joint administration between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats continued to run the council.[4]
Meanwhile, in January 2004 the Liberal Democrat group on the council expelled Matthew Shepherd from the party's group on the council.[5]
Overall turnout at the election was 37%.[6]