[5] The mayor has a range of responsibilities covering policing, transport, housing, planning, economic development, arts, culture and the environment, controlling a budget of around £17 billion per year.

[13] All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in London aged 18 or over on 5 May 2016 were entitled to vote in the mayoral election.

[22] Of these, three were eliminated: Philippa Roe, leader of Westminster City Council; Ivan Massow, financial services entrepreneur, gay rights campaigner, and media personality; and Sol Campbell, former Arsenal and England football player.

[31] Goldsmith, having made his name editing an environmentalist magazine, opposed expansion of Heathrow and vowed to continue investment in public transport.

[32] He stated that he was in favour of "right-to-buy" schemes for buying homes, and wanted to expand housing stock through high-density, low-rise construction.

[39] Khan's selection as a candidate was seen as part of a wider move towards the left in Labour that emerged during the 2015 leadership election that followed Miliband's resignation.

[49] Unsuccessful nominees were Jonathan Bartley (candidate for Streatham in the 2015 general election, co-founder of Ekklesia, and Work and Pensions Spokesperson for the Green Party);[47] Tom Chance (candidate for Lewisham West and Penge in the 2015 general election and Housing Spokesperson for the Greens);[47] Benali Hamdache (Equalities Spokesperson for the Green Party, and former National Health Service researcher);[47] Rashid Nix (a Camera operator and candidate for Dulwich and West Norwood in the 2015 general election);[47] and Caroline Russell (Islington Borough Councillor for Highbury East Ward since 2014 and clean air campaigner).

[54] Berry made increasing affordable housing a key policy area in her mayoral campaign,[51] through brownfield building, capping rents and preventing foreign businesses from purchasing homes.

[58][59] Of the remaining candidates, Duwayne Brooks OBE, former councillor in Lewisham, withdrew due to his commitments to a review of police stop and search powers.

[64] Pidgeon graduated from the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth in 1994, moving to London to work in local government and later for the National Health Service.

[69] The supposed favourite for selection among party members was Suzanne Evans, UKIP Deputy Chairman, former Interim Leader, Welfare Spokesman and candidate for Shrewsbury and Atcham in the 2015 general election.

[94] In January 2016, McKenzie appeared on the reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother described as the English Democrats candidate,[95] but was not nominated for the election.

[20] On 8 April 2016 it was confirmed that McKenzie would be standing in a borough council by-election in Croydon to be held on the same day as the mayoral election.

[102] Through February and early March a series of sponsored debates on key topics took place, including two on housing,[103][104] one on technology,[105] and one covering green issues.

The Guardian noted an absence of any clear winner, with Khan and Goldsmith focused on each other, Berry and Pidgeon offering very similar policies and Whittle distinct but with no chance of victory.

David Cameron's deferral in December 2015 of a decision on plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport until after the election was interpreted as an attempt to avoid a clash with Goldsmith, his party's candidate, on the issue.

[157] Towards the end of January, provisional English Democrats candidate Winston McKenzie appeared on reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother, quickly being voted off and causing over 400 complaints to Ofcom following his negative comments about homosexuality.

[95] In February, five candidates – Pidgeon, Whittle, Khan, Berry and Goldsmith – appeared in a debate on issues surrounding technology and science at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

[105] Key topics to emerge included the conflict between traditional London Black Cabs and Uber, and the role of the EU in shaping the British technological industry.

[160] In a letter intended for London's Hindu and Sikh populations, Goldsmith accused Khan, a Muslim, of wanting a "wealth tax on family jewellery".

Both polls suggested that the race remained close, with the number of undecided voters comfortably larger than Khan's lead over Goldsmith.

[169] The confirmed list of candidates was released on 1 April, revealing that 12 people in total had secured the support and financing required for a nomination.

Focusing on housing, Khan promised for database of landlords who had been prosecuted for housing-related offences, as well as the creation of a mayor-controlled not-for-profit letting agency.

[174] Green issues were also a core part of his agenda,[175] with new traffic regulations to encourage cleaner vehicles and the creation of new pocket parks.

[185] As the result was announced early on 7 May, outgoing mayor Boris Johnson remained in position for a further day, handing over to Khan on 8 May.

[206] As the first results were announced, several Conservative Party politicians, including Andrew Boff and Sayeeda Warsi, denounced Zac Goldsmith's campaign,[207][208] while writers such as left-wing columnist Owen Jones once again described it as "racist".

[210] However, in the subsequent days, Khan distanced himself from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's election strategy, amidst rumours of a party rift.

[3] Khan received congratulations from politicians globally, including French Prime Minister Manuel Valls; Hillary Clinton, who at the time was the Democratic front-runner for the United States 2016 presidential primaries; and Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, who in 2014 became the first Christian governor of Indonesia's capital, Jakarta.

[3] A week after the election, Khan announced Joanne McCartney, London Assembly member for Enfield and Haringey, as his deputy mayor.

[222] A few months after the election, Goldsmith also pledged to resign as an MP if the government were to announce plans to build a third runway at Heathrow Airport.