Candidates for Greater Manchester Mayor confirmed ahead of voter registration deadline

Six candidates have been confirmed to be standing for election as Greater Manchester Mayor on Thursday 2nd May.

Nominations for candidates closed on Friday 5th April, with residents urged to ensure they are registered to vote before midnight on Tuesday 16th April. Alongside elections for the office of Greater Manchester Mayor, Stockport residents will also cast their ballots to elect local representatives across the borough.

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)

The election on 2nd May will be the third time Greater Manchester has had the chance to choose a city-region Mayor since the post was created. It will also be the first time the election has been held since rules requiring voters to show ID at polling stations were introduced – details of acceptable forms of ID can be found via the GM Elects website. The 2024 Mayoral elections also sees a change in the voting system used, with voters now casting a single ballot for their preferred candidate, rather than choosing first and second preferences.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester 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.

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.”