Overview
- Polling stations open across Greater Manchester on Thursday for a by‑election triggered when Andy Burnham became an MP and vacated the mayoralty.
- Seven candidates are standing, led by Labour’s Bev Craig who tops mid‑July polls while challengers from the Greens, Reform UK, Conservatives, Lib Dems, Restore Britain and an independent press distinct housing and policing agendas.
- The contest uses the Supplementary Vote system in which voters mark a first and optional second choice and any second‑choice votes for the top two are added if no candidate wins a majority of first‑preferences.
- More than two million people are eligible to vote, voters must be registered and show accepted ID at the polling station, and the by‑election is expected to cost several million pounds.
- Whoever wins will set local priorities on fares, housebuilding and visible policing and could shape how the city‑region uses devolved powers and presses the national government for further funding and policy change.