| Election Name: | 2023 Darlington Borough Council election |
| Country: | County Durham |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 2019 Darlington Borough Council election |
| Previous Year: | 2019 |
| Next Election: | 2027 Darlington Borough Council election |
| Next Year: | 2027 |
| Seats For Election: | All 50 seats to Darlington Borough Council |
| Majority Seats: | 26 |
| Leader1: | Stephen Harker |
| Party1: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Last Election1: | 20 seats, 33.2% |
| Seats1: | 24 |
| Seat Change1: | 4 |
| Popular Vote1: | 24,798 |
| Percentage1: | 34.9% |
| Swing1: | 1.7% |
| Leader2: | Jonathan Dulston |
| Party2: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Last Election2: | 22 seats, 41.5% |
| Seats2: | 15 |
| Seat Change2: | 7 |
| Popular Vote2: | 26,324 |
| Percentage2: | 37.1% |
| Swing2: | 4.4% |
| Leader3: | Matthew Snedker |
| Party3: | Green Party of England and Wales |
| Last Election3: | 2 seats, 13.2% |
| Seats3: | 7 |
| Seat Change3: | 5 |
| Popular Vote3: | 13,271 |
| Percentage3: | 18.7% |
| Swing3: | 5.5% |
| Leader4: | Anne-Marie Curry |
| Party4: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
| Last Election4: | 3 seats, 4.2% |
| Seats4: | 3 |
| Seat Change4: | 0 |
| Popular Vote4: | 3,347 |
| Percentage4: | 4.7% |
| Swing4: | 0.5% |
| Party5: | Independent politician |
| Last Election5: | 3 seats, 6.6% |
| Seats5: | 1 |
| Seat Change5: | 2 |
| Popular Vote5: | 3,273 |
| Percentage5: | 4.6% |
| Swing5: | 2.0% |
| Leader | |
| Posttitle: | Leader after election |
| Before Election: | Jonathan Dulston Conservative |
| Before Party: | No overall control |
| After Election: | Stephen Harker Labour |
| After Party: | No overall control |
The 2023 Darlington Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect all 50 members of Darlington Borough Council in County Durham, England. This was at the same time as other local elections across England.
The council was under no overall control prior to the election, being led by a Conservative minority administration. The council remained under no overall control after the election, but Labour overtook the Conservatives to become the largest party. A Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition formed after the election, with Labour group leader Steven Harker being appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 25 May 2023.[1]
Following the results, the council remained with no overall control, but Labour became the largest party.[2] [3] [4]
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The candidates for each ward were named on 13 April 2023.[7]
One of the two Red Hall and Lingfield seats had been vacant prior to the election, following the death in March 2023 of Labour councillor Hilary Lucas.[8]