More than two million voters are set to elect a successor to Andy Burnham as Greater Manchester mayor, with polling concluding shortly. The prime minister urged the public to support Labour’s Bev Craig in the by-election, asserting she will ensure “every town, every borough” benefits from the region’s progress, reports BritPanorama.
Burnham’s resignation earlier this year paved the way for what has been termed the most significant by-election in UK history, establishing a precedent as he aims for the prime ministership, positioning himself as a potential successor to Sir Keir Starmer.
Seven candidates are competing for the mayoralty: Bev Craig (Labour), Phil Eckersley (Conservatives), Geraldine Coggins (Green Party), Sian Astley (Reform UK), Richard Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats), Marlon West (Restore Britain), and Marcus Farmer (Independent).
Polling stations across Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan will be open for residents to cast their votes on Thursday.
This contest marks the first occasion since the metro mayor role’s establishment in 2017 that Burnham’s name will not appear on the ballot paper. He commanded victories in all 10 boroughs during the elections held in 2017, 2021, and 2024.
Before the voting commenced, Burnham reflected on his nearly decade-long tenure as mayor, describing it as an “immense privilege.” He expressed confidence in Craig’s ability to enhance the achievements of their administration.
When will results be announced?
Polling will close at 10pm on Thursday 30 July, with counting initiated at Co-op Live from 9am on Friday. Consequently, official results are unlikely to be ready until Friday afternoon, deviating from the traditional overnight counts seen in general elections.
If initial results are close, further counting of second preference votes may delay the announcement until later in the day.
Will there be an exit poll?
Typically, there will not be an exit poll conducted for the Manchester mayoral election, as these polls are primarily reserved for general elections in the UK, where they are more feasible financially.
In this election cycle, Labour’s Craig has consistently maintained a substantial lead in the polls, approximately 20 points ahead of Sian Astley from Reform UK. Green Party candidate Coggins has been projected to receive around 14 percent, while Conservative Eckersley stands at about 12 percent according to the latest More in Common poll.
Should a second-round run-off be necessary, projections indicate that Craig would secure 65 percent of the vote against Astley’s 35 percent.
