Greater Manchester mayoral election live: First results announced as Labour’s Bev Craig and Reform UK’s Sian Astley go to second round

For this, by-election, voting changed back to the “supplementary vote” (SV) system used in the mayoral elections in 2017 and 2021, whereas 2024 was first-past-the-post.

If any candidate wins more than 50 per cent of the first-choice votes, they are declared the winner.

If no candidate has more than 50 per cent of first-choice votes, all but the top two candidates are eliminated and the count moves to a second round.

Mr Burnham did not require a second round to win his two SV elections, winning them both with more than 60 per cent of first-choice votes.

Second preference votes from the city of Manchester are being counted here at the Co-op Live arena, to find a winner between Labour’s Bev Craig and Sian Astley of Reform.

As no candidate won more than 50 per cent of first choice votes, all but the top two candidates have been eliminated and the count moves to a second round.

The ballot papers of the eliminated candidates are counted again and if there are any second-choice votes for the two remaining candidates, these are added to their first-choice totals.

Today’s counting has already been a long-winded process, with verification of ballots beginning at 9:30am.

We may be here for a while as the candidate with the highest overall total of first and second-choice votes across the ten boroughs is found.

Labour’s Bev Craig and Reform UK’s Sian Astley are the remaining candidates in the Greater Manchester by-election.

Ms Craig, who has been described as Andy Burnham’s “protégé”, has been leader of Manchester City Council since 2021.

She is the first female and first LGBTQ+ leader of the local authority and is the combined authority member for economy, business, and inclusive growth.

Sian Astley was elected as a councillor for the Baguley ward on Manchester City Council in May 2026.

She is a professional landlord and also runs an interior design and property renovation business in Manchester.

The five eliminated candidates are Geraldine Coggins (Green), Phil Eckersley (Conservative), Marcus Farmer (Independent), Richard Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats) and Marlon West (Restore Britain).

The Greater Manchester mayoral election will go to a second round, with Labour’s Bev Craig and Reform UK’s Sian Astley proceeding into the next stage.

For the by-election, voting changed back to the “supplementary vote” (SV) system used in the mayoral elections in 2017 and 2021 – which gives voters a first and second choice.

As no candidate won more than 50 per cent of first choice votes, all but the top two candidates have been eliminated and the count moves to a second round.

The ballot papers of the eliminated candidates are counted again and if there are any second-choice votes for the two remaining candidates, these are added to their first-choice totals.

The candidate with the highest overall total of first and second-choice votes is declared the winner.

In 2021, the last time Greater Manchester was contested under the SV system, Mr Burnham won in the first round with 67 per cent of first preference votes.

But more counting is to come here at the Co-op Live as we find out who will succeed the now-prime minister as mayor.

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