Vote counting has begun in the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election to choose Andy Burnham’s successor after he became MP for Makerfield and Labour Party leader. The contest is an early electoral test for Labour against Reform UK, with Labour’s Bev Craig widely expected to win, while Reform’s Sian Astley and the Greens’ Geraldine Coggins may compete for second place.

More than two million people were eligible to vote, with seven candidates standing and a result not expected until the afternoon. The election uses the supplementary vote system: a candidate wins outright with over 50% of first preferences, otherwise second preferences are redistributed between the top two. Burnham had held the mayoralty since 2017, winning 63% in 2017, 67.3% in 2021 and 63.4% in 2024.