Gorton And Denton By-election opens as polls begin in Greater Manchester
Voters in parts of Greater Manchester have begun casting ballots in the gorton and denton by-election, a contest triggered by the resignation of Andrew Gwynne on 22 January. Polling opened at 07: 00 GMT and will close at 22: 00; the result is set to be declared overnight and is expected in the early hours of Friday morning.
Gorton And Denton By-election: polling times and result schedule
Polling stations opened at 07: 00 GMT and will close at 22: 00 to decide who becomes the new MP for the constituency. The results of the by-election are set to be declared overnight and on Friday, with the result of the vote expected to be declared in the early hours of Friday morning.
Candidates listed in alphabetical order on the ballot
The published list of candidates in alphabetical order includes Sir Oink A-Lot, representing The Official Monster Raving Loony Party, and Sebastian Moore, representing the Social Democratic Party. This listing was presented as the candidates on the ballot in alphabetical order.
Three-horse race and tactical voting arguments
The by-election has been framed as a multi-party contest, described in context as a three-horse race, with Labour, the Green Party and Reform UK all fighting the seat very strongly. The outcome will be closely scrutinised by commentators for what it might mean for various political parties and leaders. Campaigning has included appeals from both Labour and the Green Party urging voters that they are the only option for people who want to 'stop Reform', a dynamic the wider critique of the contest says has emphasised tactical questions over policy debate.
Why the contest was called: Andrew Gwynne's resignation
The by-election was triggered by the resignation of now former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne on 22 January on the grounds of ill health. The vacancy has prompted the vote in which electors will choose who becomes the new MP for the constituency.
Debate over First Past the Post and alternatives
Critiques of the current voting system have been prominent in coverage of the contest. It has been noted that the UK general election of 2024 was described as the most disproportional ever, with Labour securing almost two-thirds of MPs from just over one-third of votes. Observers argue that where three or more parties compete, FPTP can produce winners with the support of fewer than a third of voters in an area, meaning the votes of more than two-thirds of people can be left unreflected in the result.
Proponents of change point to the Single Transferable Vote (STV) used in Scottish local elections as an alternative. Under STV, voters number the candidates on the ballot paper; in local council by-elections in Scotland a voter's number two preference can be transferred if their first-choice has no chance of election and no candidate has received a majority, with the process continuing until someone wins a majority. The discussion in the material provided ends mid-sentence after saying 'This "preferential voting" removes the prospect of', and that final point is unclear in the provided context.
Timing and scrutiny ahead of declaration
With polling now complete for the day, attention turns to counting and the expected declaration overnight into Friday. The tightness of the three-way dynamic, the tactical messaging from Labour and the Green Party, and the presence of Reform UK in the contest are all elements commentators will watch closely as the constituency awaits the result in the early hours of Friday morning.
