🟥 LIVE: Greater Manchester mayoral election with results and updates from the count

The result of the Greater Manchester mayoral by election is expected later today as officials count hundreds of thousands of ballot papers.

The result of the Greater Manchester mayoral by election is expected later today as officials count hundreds of thousands of ballot papers.

The editorial team from the Oldham Evening Chronicle are at the Co-op Live to bring you all of the updates throughout the day.

Greater Manchester will elect a new mayor today after voters went to the polls on Thursday to choose Andy Burnham's successor.

This election is being held under the supplementary vote system, allowing voters to select both a first and second preference candidate. If no one achieves an outright majority in the opening count, all but the leading two candidates are eliminated before second preference votes are redistributed.

Seven candidates are contesting the election.

• Sian Niamh Astley for Reform UK
• Geraldine Coggins for the Green Party
• Bev Craig for Labour and the Co operative Party
• Phil Eckersley for the Conservative Party
• Marcus Jonathan Farmer, Independent
• Richard Kilpatrick for the Liberal Democrats
• Marlon West for Restore Britain

The successful candidate will take responsibility for key decisions affecting Greater Manchester, including policing, transport, housing, economic development and the region's overall budget.

And its over (for tonight)! The team have just left the Co-op Live after 8 hours of broadcasting, loads of interviews and insight.

It not all finished though, we have an interview with Sian Astley to share with you plus we should get the full results soon.

We are going to pause the live page for now and pick up where we left off tomorrow morning if there are any new developments

(Credit: David Murphy/Roch Valley Radio)

So it is goodnight from me, Alfie, in Salford. And it is good night from David, Adam and Benny at the Co-op Live. 

A short speech from Bev Craig (Which is welcomed by those in the hall, I am sure) brings the By-Election to an end.

We can expect full results by tomorrow and when we have it, we will bring them to you. This is what it looks like so far though:

Greater Manchester Mayoral By-Election 2026

Bev Craig is 'ready to serve' as she wins the Greater Manchester Mayoral By-Election.

She said "The special thank you has to go to the residents of GM. To have trust placed in you. I'm honoured, I'm humbled and I stand ready to serve", adding that she wishes to build a "Greater Manchester that works for all of us" as well as promising to be a work for everyone, whether or not they voted for her.

This is how the vote looked in the end:

• Bev CRAIG: Labour and Co-operative Party - 309,525 votes (66.3% vote share)
• Sian ASTLEY: Reform UK - 157,178 votes (33.7% vote share)

 Bev Craig is the new Mayor of Greater Manchester, getting 251,449 first preference votes and 58,076 second preference votes

We are all but moments away, the candidates are currently being told the results. Reform and Labour's Teams are by the stage, ready for the result.

We are expecting the result in about 20 minutes. And with that news, some sign a breath of relief.

A lovely 12 and a half hour shift for the counters at Co-op Live. At least we won't be the only ones who are hoping will be over shortly.

We’re still here at Co-op Live waiting to find out who will be Greater Manchester’s next mayor. Verification started at 9.30am, so there are a lot of tired faces now. We’ve asked what time we could get a result but officials are unsure @MENnewsdesk

— Declan Carey (@DeclanGCarey) July 31, 2026

How this by-election has got us all feeling right now as we await the result.

Waiting for a snifter of news about the Manchester Mayoral Election. pic.twitter.com/j9MEYiTyeY

— Sam FH 🇺🇦 (@SamF_H) July 31, 2026

They are still counting. At this speed, they might get kicked out by A$AP Rocky, who is due to perform at the Co-op Live on the 5th September.

We don't currently have any indication as to when they will be announcing the new mayor.

Some important Political faces have been seen around the count hall, including Angeliki Stogia. If you remember, Angeliki was the Labour Candidate for the Gorton and Denton By-Election, losing against the Green Candidate, Hannah Spencer.

We have also seen Eamonn O'Brian, the leader of Bury Council. Both of which are with the Labour Delegation ahead of the Declaration of the result. We hope this will come in the next hour or two.

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 Angeliki Stogia (left) during the Gorton and Denton By-Election campaign, with Bridget Phillipson (right). Credit - David Murphy

As the wait continues, the hunger increases. Queues have been spotted for refreshments in the foyer.

That or Barack Obama has got to the Co-op Live early and the queue is for a signature.

This is the queue at Co-op Live for food and drinks. We’re still waiting on the second round vote count to come through to find out who is Greater Manchester’s next mayor @MENnewsdesk pic.twitter.com/Xr9j65h9x7

— Declan Carey (@DeclanGCarey) July 31, 2026

The waiting game continues. Currently, this is what we know:

• The vote has gone to 2nd Preference vote (this is part of the supplementary vote system which meant everyone had to vote for two candidates)
• Sian Astley (Reform UK) and Bev Craig (Labour) remain, every other candidate has been eliminated.
• They are currently adjudicating the votes in the Co-op Live

When the count is finished (and more importantly the result is announced), we will let you know.

Benny and Adam will be live soon on Roch Valley Radio Xtra and Shock Radio (in between Kenny)

We have reaction from the Green Candidate, Geraldine Coggins. In a press huddle, she said "it's quite a bad result for them that we're even going to a second round. "

She added "you know, it has been very volatile.  We've literally had a new Prime Minister right in the middle of the campaign and we're clearly in a bit of a honeymoon period for them."

Restore has also posted their reaction, with their candidate holding a pint

We didn’t make the final two, but Marlon and Restore Britain won tens of thousands of votes across Greater Manchester - who we beat will become clear soon.

A huge step forward for our party today.

I am incredibly proud of Marlon and everything he has achieved. Enjoy that pint. pic.twitter.com/7nOrjy0qJZ

— Rupert Lowe MP (@RupertLowe10) July 31, 2026

The Combined Authority Returning Officer (via Tom Stannard) can confirm that the election will go to second preference. It is now between Bev Craig (Labour) and Sian Astley (Reform).

He has emphasised the importance of accuracy over speed

Hearing that an announcement could be immiment. Could being the important word here

No declaration just yet, following a side of stage discussion between the candidates, agents and the Returning Officer. It could be up to an hour wait before we get the first round result.

If you are waiting for something to so, you could take inspiration from the Party Teams in the hall. Alternatively, Benny and Adam are still live, feel free to listen (they are playing some bangers at the moment)

Candidates have been taken aside for provisional results, first round result will be imminent 

The Manchester Council Chief Executive, Tom Stannard, has apologised for the wait.

He put it down to a delay in approval from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. When he has that approval, he can discuss the result with the candidates

An apology for delays here… as they continue. Final approval is still pending for Manchester district @MENnewsdesk pic.twitter.com/qIxjhy2BQk

— Hannah Richardson LDR (@HRichardsonLDR) July 31, 2026

We understand there is a partial recount in one of the wards, which would be the reason for such a delay.

However, the parties are killing time well, with the Liberal Democrats apparently watching an episode of hit ITV Game Show, the Chase.

A source at the Labour party is "optomistic", adding "The Labour Party is proud of Bev's positive campaign and we remain cautiously optimistic that it will have paid off"

 The Labour Team seem to be taking a break from all the action... by taking a trip to McDonalds

Local Democracy Reporter, Declan Carey, spotted them leaving the Co-op Live.

Meanwhile, some are catching up on their reading lists to past the time

There’s another lull in proceedings at Co-op Live as we are still waiting for the result of the first count. Many of the people counting are reading books to kill time. There have been delays throughout the day, so looking like it’s going to be a late finish @MENnewsdesk

— Declan Carey (@DeclanGCarey) July 31, 2026

The team are awaiting in the Co-op for the result to come. I am also at the Co-op...

(Photo Credit: Google, 2025)

The Co-op, Chapel Street in Salford.

The waiting game continues, but the candidates and their teams have stuff to keep them entertained and pre-occupied.

Adam Clark, our reporter, has observed that The Green Party have brought ice cream, while the Labour Team have brought Scrabble.

The lack of predictability in Politics strikes again! 

We are still waiting for the first result to be declared, which was due to happen about 10 minutes ago. When it happens, we will bring it to you here on Roch Valley Radio

Someone is excited. Marlon West has been seen to be quite giddy at the count.

The first declaration is all but moments away.

Spending an exciting day at Coop Live. pic.twitter.com/wQ3weM98pV

— Marlon S West (Scarlett’s Dad) (@MarlonTag) July 31, 2026

Where is it all taking place?

The count is happening across the Greater Manchester, with all the results ending up at the Co-op Live arena at the Etihad Campus where the announcement of the new mayor will happen later tonight.

Back in 2024, the declaration happened in the Manchester Central Convention Centre.

It is not the only political event that the Co-op Live is hosting this year, with Former President Barack Obama hosting an 'Evening With' event at the venue on the 15th October 2026. 

We are hearing that the first declaration is expected to happen at around 4pm. 

And it is never a slow day in politics. It has been announced, within the last half hour, that John Healey and Andy Burnham's first budget will be on Wednesday 28th October. John Healey said, "Today, I’m confirming the date of my first Budget as Chancellor will be Wednesday 28th October."

He added, "This will be a Budget that moves money and power out of Westminster, and into every postcode around Britain."

 The parties are now starting to arrive at the hall. From what we know, the Conservative's candidate, Phil Eckersley, the Liberal Democrats Candidate, Richard Kilpatrick, Restore Britain's Candidate, Marlon West and the Green Candidate, Geraldine Coggins are all at the count. They will all be waiting nervously for the result to be announced.

Benny Fiddimore and Adam Clark are live right now on Roch Valley Radio until 6.

We have the turnout figures for Bury and Rochdale. In Bury, 28% (40,623 verified ballots) of the electorate turned out to vote. However, Rochdale's turnout is on the lower end, at just 22% (38,862 ballots).

Greater Manchester Mayoral By-Election 2026 - Turnout by Borough  

Our reporters in the count have just told us the overall Greater Manchester turnout, 25.14%. Thats down 7% from the 2024 Mayoral election and the lowest in any GM Mayoral Election. 

That works out to about 538,000 votes.

 We have our first turnout figures. The Manchester Council turnout is 22.73%, low for such a high publicised by-election

The count continues across the 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester. However, political reaction is already coming in.

The Deputy Leader of the Labour Party has praised Bev Craig and the Labour Team for their "really positive campaign", adding that it was focused on "taking our city-region forwards and making sure every town, every borough, and every person shares in Greater Manchester’s success."

You can read more here 

Welcome to our Live coverage of the Greater Manchester Mayoral By-Election.