Greatest by-election in UK history set for Greater Manchester mayoral vote
More than two million people will be eligible to vote in Thursday’s contest to choose a new Greater Manchester mayor, making it the biggest by-election in UK history, reports BritPanorama.
Seven candidates are vying to succeed former mayor and current Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who stepped down in June after being elected MP for Makerfield. Burnham, who became Greater Manchester’s first directly elected mayor in 2017, held the position for nine years, winning elections in 2021 and 2024.
The mayor is elected by voters across ten local authorities: Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan. This election represents the largest electorate for any by-election ever held in the UK, with eligibility based on previous voter turnout.
In 2024, Burnham received 420,749 of the 663,631 valid votes cast across these authorities, translating to a 63 percent share. However, turnout was only 32 percent, suggesting a potential challenge for securing votes in the upcoming election.
The candidates in Thursday’s by-election include Sian Astley (Reform), Geraldine Coggins (Green), Bev Craig (Labour), Phil Eckersley (Conservative), Marcus Farmer (Independent), Richard Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats), and Marlon West (Restore Britain). This is the first time a by-election has been necessary to fill a vacancy among England’s combined authority mayors.
The contest is expected to cost several million pounds. Budget reports from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority indicate that spending for the May 2024 mayoral election totaled £4.6 million. Voting methods will differ; this by-election uses the supplementary vote (SV) system, reinstated by the current Labour government after a change in legislation earlier this year.
Under the SV system, voters indicate both a first and second choice. A candidate must secure more than 50 percent of first-choice votes to win outright. If no candidate meets this threshold, the two candidates with the most votes will compete in a second round, wherein second-choice votes may be added to first-choice totals. Voters must select a first choice for their ballot to be valid.
Polling stations across Greater Manchester opened at 7am on Thursday and will close at 10pm. Votes will be counted the following day, with results expected in the afternoon.
