Polling stations across Greater Manchester opened on July 30, 2026, for the region's mayoral byelection. The election follows the resignation of former Mayor Andy Burnham.
More than two million eligible voters are selecting a successor to lead the combined authority.
>>> Eric Lauer Throws Six Scoreless Innings as Dodgers Beat Mariners 4-2
The winner will oversee a £3 billion annual budget with authority over housing, transport, health, and policing.
Candidates and Voting System
Seven candidates are contesting the election.
They include Bev Craig for Labour, Sian Astley for Reform UK, Geraldine Coggins for the Greens, Phil Eckersley for the Conservatives, Richard Kilpatrick for the Liberal Democrats, Marlon West for Restore Britain, and independent Marcus Farmer.
The election uses the supplementary vote system. Voters select a first and second choice.
>>> Dodgers Move Blake Snell Rehab to Single-A Ontario Amid Busy Schedule
If no candidate secures more than 50% of the primary vote, all candidates except the top two are eliminated, and second-choice preferences from the eliminated ballots are redistributed to determine the winner.
Background and Polling
The byelection was triggered after Burnham won the Makerfield parliamentary seat on June 18, 2026. He relinquished his mayoral duties before becoming prime minister earlier this month.
Voting stations opened at 07:00 BST and are scheduled to close at 22:00 BST. Final results are expected on Friday afternoon.
A recent More in Common survey of 1,000 voters indicated Labour's Craig held a 20-percentage-point lead over Reform UK's Astley.
>>> Seattle Mayor Fires Police Chief Shon Barnes After Travel Controversy
The Green Party held third place with 14% support, closely followed by the Conservatives. The Green Party previously secured 7% of the vote during the 2024 mayoral race.
