The turnout for the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election has been confirmed.
Just 25.14% of those eligible turned out to vote in the election to select the region's new mayor. This amounts to 538,659 people.
It compares against a turnout of 32.05% at the last mayoral election in 2024, 34.7% in 2021 and 28.9% in 2017.
In total 2,142,779 people were able to vote in the ballot from across the region, which includes the boroughs of Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Manchester, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan.
Apathy towards politics and a lack of engagement with the mayoral role are believed to have played a part, as well as people being away for the summer and scores of students who could have voted going home during the university break.
The by-election was called after former mayor Andy Burnham - who is now Prime Minister - was elected Makerfield MP back in June.
The election was held using the supplementary vote system, which meant that people were able to vote for two candidates, a first and second preference.
Polling stations closed at 10pm on Thursday, with the count taking place from 9am on Friday. Hundreds of thousands of votes will be counted at Co-op Live, with the result not expected until at least early afternoon.
And it could be even later if no candidate receives more than 50 per cent of the vote - meaning the second round votes will need to be counted.
The seven candidates standing were Sian Niamh Astley for Reform UK, Geraldine Coggins for Green Party, Bev Craig for Labour, Phil Eckersley for the Conservative Party, Marcus Jonathan Farmer - independent, Richard Kilpatrick for Liberal Democrats, and Marlon West for Restore Britain.
