Gorton And Denton By-election polls open as tactical voting clouds contest
Polling is under way in parts of Greater Manchester for the gorton and denton by-election, with stations open from 07: 00 GMT and scheduled to close at 22: 00 on Thursday 26 February. The result is expected to be declared in the early hours of Friday.
Gorton And Denton By-election: Polling hours and timetable
Voters in the constituency went to the polls on Thursday 26 February, with polling stations opening at 07: 00 GMT and closing at 22: 00 to decide who will become the new MP. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of now former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne on 22 January on the grounds of ill health, and the results of the by-election are set to be declared overnight and on Friday.
A three-way race between Labour, Reform UK and the Greens
What had once been the kind of seat Labour would normally win comfortably has become a three-way race pitting Labour, Reform UK and the Green Party against one another, with Reform’s Matt Goodwin named as a central figure in the tactical arguments. The gorton and denton by-election has been shaped by voters trying to calculate their ballots, second-guessing which choice might stop another and worrying that tactical votes could make outcomes worse.
Candidates named and the local ballot
The ballot includes a range of candidates listed in alphabetical order, among them Sir Oink A-Lot of The Official Monster Raving Loony Party and Sebastian Moore of the Social Democratic Party. With Labour, the Greens and Reform UK all contesting strongly, campaign messaging has been focused heavily on which party is best placed to stop a rival rather than on policy detail.
Electoral Reform Society warns First Past The Post is failing
The Electoral Reform Society argues that First Past The Post is letting down people in Gorton and Denton and that multi-party contests are exposing systemic flaws. The society points to the UK general election of 2024 as the most disproportional ever, with Labour securing almost two-thirds of MPs from just over one-third of votes, and warns that in seats where three or more parties compete it is increasingly possible for candidates to be elected with the support of fewer than a third of voters.
The society added that when Labour and the Green Party both try to persuade voters they are the only option to stop Reform, the debate becomes dominated by tactical questions. It also warned that at the next general election there will be constituencies where the Conservatives and Reform UK try to persuade voters they are the 'only' choice to stop Labour.
Alternatives on display: Single Transferable Vote in Scotland
As an example of a different system, Scottish local elections use the Single Transferable Vote (STV). Under STV, voters number the candidates on the ballot; if no one wins a majority the first-choice candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and votes are transferred to second preferences, continuing until someone secures a majority. Proponents say that preferential voting removes the need for voters to work out which party is best placed to defeat the one they dislike.
What to watch next
After polling closes at 22: 00 on Thursday 26 February, officials will count the ballots and the result is expected to be announced in the early hours of Friday. The outcome will be closely scrutinised for what it means for Labour, Reform UK and the Greens, and for wider arguments about the adequacy of First Past The Post raised by the Electoral Reform Society and commentators. A YouGov model published last autumn is part of that debate, showing Reform could in theory win 48% of Westminster seats on as little as 27% of the vote, a projection that campaigners say could leave almost three-quarters of the country governed by a leader many did not want.
The columnist who has followed the contest said she remains unconvinced that proportional representation is the clear answer, even after the nail-biting dynamics of this contest. Counting and any declaration are the next confirmed events: ballots will be counted after polling stations close on Thursday and a result is expected in the early hours of Friday.
