Polling stations open for mayoral election

Polling stations across Greater Manchester opened at 07:00 BST on Thursday for the mayoral election triggered by Andy Burnham’s resignation as the city‑region’s mayor. Burnham was obliged to step down after securing victory in the Makerfield parliamentary by‑election last month, a result that barred him from holding both an MP seat and the mayoral office simultaneously. His election as an MP subsequently cleared the path for his appointment as premier curate earlier this month. Voters are now deciding who will serve as both mayor of Greater Manchester and chair of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. The polls will remain open until 22:00 BST, with the outcome slated for announcement on Friday. Seven candidates appear on the ballot, listed alphabetically by surname: - Sian Astley – Reform UK - Geraldine Coggins – Green Party - Bev Craig – Labour - Phil Eckersley – Conservative - Marcus Farmer – Independent - Richard Kilpatrick – Liberal Democrats - Marlon West – Restore Britain The contest will be decided using the supplementary vote (SV) system. Electors may mark a first‑ and second‑choice preference. If no candidate secures more than 50 % of the initial first‑choice votes, all but the two leading contenders are eliminated. The second‑choice votes cast for the eliminated candidates are then redistributed among the final pair. The candidate who accumulates the highest total after this redistribution is declared the winner. Information on the nearest polling station can be obtained from voters’ polling cards or by consulting the relevant local council website.