Candidates for Greater Manchester Mayor announced as voter registration deadline approaches

With less than one week left before the voter registration deadline, residents across Greater Manchester are urged to register to vote and have their say on who makes important decisions affecting them.  

In order to vote on Thursday 2 May in local and mayoral elections, residents must register before midnight on Tuesday 16 April. It takes just five minutes to apply online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote (external website, opens in new window).

Nominations for candidates closed on Friday 5 April. A total of 6 candidates are standing in the third election for the Mayor for Greater Manchester. Previous elections were held in 2021 and 2017.

The candidates validly nominated to stand in the election for the Mayor for Greater Manchester Combined Authority, appearing on ballot papers in alphabetical order by surname, are:

• AUSTIN, Jake (Liberal Democrats)
• BARKER, Dan (Reform UK)
• BUCKLEY, Nick (Independent)
• BURNHAM, Andy (Labour and Co-operative)
• EVANS, Laura (The Conservative Party Candidate)
• SPENCER, Hannah Kathrine (Green Party)

Every registered voter in Greater Manchester will receive an election booklet in the post from 15 April, as required by law. Postal voters can expect to receive their copies before this date. The booklet will explain more about the election and will include an election address prepared by each of the candidates.

The full list of candidates, official notices, and other information can be found at www.gmelects.org.uk.

This year residents across Greater Manchester will be voting in up to three elections, for:

• The Mayor for Greater Manchester Combined Authority. The Mayor is a major figure in the political life of the city-region, with unique powers and responsibilities. This includes setting budgets and priorities for Greater Manchester’s public services including transport, housing and planning, the fire and rescue service, Police and Crime Commissioner responsibilities, and acting as an ambassador for the city-region.

• Councillors. Councillors are elected to represent their local area and residents, and contribute to the development of local policies in areas such as social care, housing, planning, highways, and education.

• The Salford City Mayor. Residents in Salford will elect the City Mayor, who is Salford’s political, strategic and community leader and has overall responsibility for the delivery of all council services.

There are different ways to vote in the elections: at your local polling station, by post, or by proxy (appointing someone to vote on your behalf). The deadline to apply for a postal vote in these elections is 5pm on Wednesday 17 April 2024. The deadline for applying for a proxy vote is 5pm on Wednesday 24 April 2024.

Residents will need to show a valid form of ID at the polling station, such as a passport, driving licence, some types of bus pass or proof of age card, or a free Voter Authority Certificate. The deadline for to apply for free voter ID for these elections is 5pm on Wednesday 24 April 2024

More information about the elections taking place in Greater Manchester, including information about voter ID, registering to vote, and applying for a postal or proxy vote can be found at www.gmelects.org.uk.

Eamonn Boylan, Combined Authority Returning Officer for Greater Manchester, said:

“These elections are an opportunity for voters to choose who makes decisions that affect them and the places where they live, whether that be for the Mayor of Greater Manchester, local councillors in their boroughs, and for the Salford City Mayor.

“It’s very important that anyone wanting to have their say in these elections makes sure they are registered to vote before the deadline. That deadline is now just days away, so I would urge people who haven’t yet registered to do so as soon as possible.”

Follow updates about the Greater Manchester Mayoral election on:

Twitter: @GMElects (external website, opens in new window)

Facebook: www.facebook.com/gmelects (external website, opens in new window)

Follow updates about local elections on your local council’s social media accounts and website. A list of all the websites is available here.

Register to vote online (external website, opens in new window)

Key dates:

• Deadline to register to vote: midnight on Tuesday 16 April
• Deadline to apply for a postal vote: 5pm on Wednesday 17 April 2024
• Deadline for to apply for free voter ID: 5pm on Wednesday 24 April
• Deadline for applying for a proxy vote: 5pm Wednesday 24 April 2024
• Polling day: 7am to 10pm Thursday 2 May 2024

Article Published: 08/04/2024 16:37 PM