No overall control Conservative Elections to Suffolk County Council were held on 5 May 2005.

[3] Those who were temporarily away from their ordinary address (for example, away working, on holiday, in student accommodation or in hospital) were also entitled to vote in the local elections, although those who had moved abroad and registered as overseas electors cannot vote in the local elections.

It is possible to register to vote at more than one address (such as a university student who had a term-time address and lives at home during holidays) at the discretion of the local Electoral Register Office, but it remains an offence to vote more than once in the same local government election.

[4] The ruling Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition had become increasingly unpopular following a number of significant council tax rises.

Both the Liberal Democrats and Labour endured heavy losses to the Conservatives in rural areas, but they performed better in urban Suffolk.