On Thursday, July 30, voters across Greater Manchester's ten boroughs will elect a new mayor in a by-election that is unprecedented in UK history. This is the first mayoral by-election ever held in the country, triggered after Andy Burnham was elected as the MP for Makerfield last month and automatically disqualified from the mayoral role.
Historic first and largest by-election
While mayoral elections have taken place in Greater Manchester since 2017, this by-election is the first of its kind regionally and nationally. With more than two million eligible voters, it will also be the largest by-election ever seen in Britain.
Changes to voting system
For this election, the supplementary voting system returns, allowing voters to cast a first and second preference. This replaces the first-past-the-post system used in 2024. Voters will see two columns on their ballot paper: one for first preference and one for second preference.
Candidates on the ballot
This is also the first mayoral election in Greater Manchester without Andy Burnham on the ballot. The candidates are: Bev Craig (Labour), Geraldine Coggins (Green Party), Sian Astley (Reform UK), Richard Martin Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats), Phil Eckersley (Conservative Party), Marlon Scott West (Restore Britain), and independent Marcus Jonathan Farmer.
