More than 4,400 ballots were rejected in the Greater Manchester mayoral election because voters placed their first and second preference crosses in the same column, according to statistics from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). The election, held last week, saw Labour's Bev Craig win with almost two-thirds of the vote share.
The vote used the supplementary voting system, allowing voters to choose a first and second preference. However, nearly 13,000 other voters used only one of their two votes. While some may have intentionally voted for a single candidate, political experts suggest many were unaware they had two votes until they received their ballot paper.
Voter Confusion Over Supplementary Vote
Professor Rob Ford, a political science researcher at the University of Manchester, said the system was not well explained. "When I looked at my ballot paper, I didn't think the system was very well explained," he said. "And I noticed in media interviews ahead of the election that when people on the street were asked if they knew they had two votes, most weren't aware at all."
Ford added that for many, the first time they considered their second vote was when the ballot paper was in their hands. Greater Manchester has switched voting systems twice in the past three mayoral elections, adding to the confusion. In 2022, the Conservative government abolished the supplementary vote, calling it 'too complicated', but the Labour government reinstated it earlier this year to avoid mayors being elected with less than 50% of the vote.
Experts Question System's Effectiveness
Ford noted that the system is not favored by political experts. "It's fair to say a lot of people don't understand it," he said. "It means people have to 'game off' who they think will get to the second round. It's also not a system favoured by political experts and academics because it's not actually all that good at representing the preferences of the general public."
Part of the issue is voter misunderstanding, including a 'silent third category' of uncounted votes for those whose second choice was a less popular candidate, as only the top two candidates proceed to the second round. Communication is also a factor, with political messaging about the voting process not reaching most voters. The GMCA did not respond to a request for comment, but a spokesperson noted that every household received election booklets and social media posts explaining the system were regularly posted.
