Greater Manchester votes tomorrow in the UK's first-ever mayoral by-election: everything you need to know
More than two million people are eligible to vote in the largest by-election in British history. It is the first GM mayoral election without Andy Burnham on the ballot, and the first to use the supplementary vote system since 2021.
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Voters across Greater Manchester's 10 boroughs will head to the polls on Thursday (July 30) in what will be the first mayoral by-election ever held in the United Kingdom.
With more than two million eligible voters, it will also be the largest by-election in British political history. The winner will have a direct say over setting budgets and priorities across the region, covering transport, housing, policing and more.
Why is the election happening?
The by-election was triggered after Andy Burnham was elected as the Makerfield MP last month. Under electoral law, a mayor who holds Police and Crime Commissioner responsibilities is automatically disqualified from the mayoral office upon becoming an MP. Burnham took on those policing powers when he was first elected mayor in 2017.
It is the first Greater Manchester mayoral election without Burnham on the ballot paper. He won all three previous contests with ease, most recently taking 63% of the vote in 2024.
How does the voting work?
The election returns to the supplementary vote system, which was used in 2017 and 2021 before being replaced by first-past-the-post in 2024.
Voters will see two columns on the ballot paper. They select a first preference in one column and a second preference in the other. If no candidate wins more than 50% of first-preference votes, the top two go through to a second round and the second-preference votes of the eliminated candidates are redistributed.
The latest YouGov poll predicts Labour's Bev Craig will beat Reform's Sian Astley 62% to 38% in the second round. If that happens, it would be the first time a Greater Manchester mayoral election has gone to a second round.
Who are the candidates?
Seven candidates are standing: Bev Craig (Labour), Sian Astley (Reform UK), Geraldine Coggins (Green Party), Phil Eckersley (Conservative), Richard Martin Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats), Marlon Scott West (Restore Britain) and Marcus Jonathan Farmer (Independent).
Polls are open from 7am to 10pm.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why is there a mayoral by-election in Greater Manchester?
- The by-election was triggered when former mayor Andy Burnham was elected as the MP for Makerfield, which automatically disqualified him from holding the mayoral office due to its policing responsibilities.
- How does the supplementary voting system work?
- Voters will be given a ballot paper with two columns, allowing them to select their first-choice candidate in one column and a second-choice candidate in the other.
- Who are the candidates for the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election?
- Seven candidates are standing: Bev Craig (Labour), Phil Eckersley (Conservative), Richard Martin Kilpatrick (Lib Dem), Geraldine Coggins (Green), Sian Astley (Reform UK), Marlon Scott West (Restore Britain), and Marcus Jonathan Farmer (Independent).