Who Should I Vote For? Manchester Mayor Election Quiz 2026
Deciding who should I vote for Manchester Mayor in the 2026 by-election? This quiz matches your views directly against the official Greater Manchester manifestos, bypassing political spin. It covers 48 core local issues including transport, housing, the Clean Air Zone, and policing.
Rate each statement from strongly agree to strongly disagree for an instant percentage breakdown against all seven candidates: Bev Craig (Labour), Sian Astley (Reform UK), Geraldine Coggins (Green), Phil Eckersley (Conservative), Richard Kilpatrick (Lib Dem), Marlon West (Restore Britain), and Marcus Farmer (Independent). See exactly where you align before casting your vote.
Why I Built This Mayoral Policy Quiz
If you are asking, "Who should I vote for Manchester Mayor?", traditional media often fails to provide an objective answer. I designed this 2026 by-election policy deck to cut through campaign spin, national party narratives, and personality politics. Instead of relying on historic voting habits, this application forces a direct, data-driven comparison between your civic priorities and the literal manifestos of the seven candidates running to replace Andy Burnham.
The Essential Tool for the July 30 By-Election
Mayoral powers dictate the reality of daily life in Greater Manchester—controlling the Bee Network, the Clean Air Zone, local housing infrastructure, and the regional policing budget. This tool is essential because it isolates those specific, devolved responsibilities. By evaluating 48 targeted local propositions, the algorithm calculates an unvarnished, mathematically accurate percentage match. It ensures your vote on July 30 is grounded entirely in factual policy alignment, free from external bias or media rhetoric.
FAQs Who should I vote for Manchester Mayor
Q: When is the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election?
A: Thursday, 30 July 2026. Polling stations are open from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
Q: Who is running for Manchester Mayor in 2026?
A: Seven candidates: Bev Craig (Labour), Sian Astley (Reform UK), Geraldine Coggins (Green), Phil Eckersley (Conservative), Richard Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats), Marlon West (Restore Britain), and Marcus Farmer (Independent).
Q: Who should I vote for Manchester Mayor?
A: Take the interactive 2026 policy quiz above to compare your views on local transport, housing, and policing directly against the official candidate manifestos.
Q: What powers does the Mayor of Greater Manchester have?
A: The Mayor controls devolved regional budgets across all 10 boroughs, specifically managing transport (the Bee Network), policing and fire services, housing, adult education, and the Clean Air Zone.
Q: Do I need photo ID to vote in the mayoral election?
A: Yes. Mandatory voter ID applies. Accepted documents include a UK passport, driving licence, an older person’s bus pass, or a free Voter Authority Certificate.
Q: What voting system is used for this mayoral election?
A: First Past the Post. The Supplementary Vote system has been abolished. Voters select one candidate, and the candidate with the highest total votes wins.
Q: Who is eligible to vote in this election?
A: Registered voters aged 18 or over residing in any of the 10 Greater Manchester boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, or Wigan.
Q: How do I find my local Greater Manchester polling station?
A: The address is printed on your official poll card. You can also search your postcode on your local council website or the Electoral Commission portal.
Q: What is the deadline for postal and proxy voting?
A: Applications for a new postal vote must be received by 5:00 PM on 15 July 2026. Proxy vote applications are due by 5:00 PM on 22 July 2026.
Q: When will the Greater Manchester mayoral election results be announced?
A: Ballot counting commences the morning after the vote. The final result is expected by Friday afternoon, 31 July 2026.
What party will you now vote for? Don't guess your alignment based on broken political quizzes. Use our free, independent, unbiased UK Political Compass Quiz to find out exactly which party matches your convictions on the economy, immigration, and tactical voting today.
Quiz Questions: 1. Freeze all bus and tram fares until 2028. 2. Make bus travel completely free for everyone under the age of 22. 3. Create express bus routes that link outer towns directly, bypassing the city centre. 4. Prioritise building walking and cycling paths over expanding the tram network. 5. Introduce a daily charge for driving a private car into Manchester city centre. 6. Stop cutting local bus routes and restore recently cancelled services. 7. Allow taxis to use all public bus lanes. 8. Run night buses 24/7 across all ten boroughs. 9. Cap parking charges in town centres to help high street shops. 10. Bring local commuter trains under the Mayor’s direct control. 11. Make ticket inspectors wear body cameras to protect staff. 12. Give outer towns more transport funding than central Manchester. 13. Build 50,000 new council and affordable homes. 14. Buy 10,000 existing private homes to use as public housing. 15. Set up a commission to push the government for rent controls. 16. Stop building luxury apartments in Manchester city centre. 17. Force developers to make 30% of new homes affordable to get building permits. 18. Protect all Green Belt land from new housing developments. 19. Force landlords to sell empty high street shops to the council. 20. Stop the Mayor giving public loans to private property developers. 21. Fine private landlords who do not meet basic housing standards. 22. Block new housing if local schools and doctors are already full. 23. Keep the Clean Air Zone free for all drivers. 24. Charge highly polluting commercial vans and lorries to drive in Greater Manchester. 25. Give the existing Clean Air Zone traffic cameras to the police to fight crime. 26. Take down the Clean Air Zone traffic cameras completely. 27. Make all buses zero-emission by 2030. 28. Give homeowners public grants to insulate their homes. 29. Ban single-use plastics in all buildings owned by the Mayor. 30. Fine local water companies for dumping sewage into rivers. 31. Increase your council tax to hire more front-line police officers. 32. Put dedicated transport police on trams and buses to stop bad behaviour. 33. Spend more money on youth clubs and less on police administration. 34. Open a public investigation into past grooming gangs. 35. Increase the use of police Stop and Search. 36. Focus police time on violent crime rather than minor drug possession. 37. Trial safe indoor spaces for drug users to prevent overdoses. 38. Put more CCTV cameras in parks and high streets across all boroughs. 39. Give local communities a £10 million fund to buy empty high street shops. 40. Only give Mayor contracts to businesses that pay the Real Living Wage. 41. Ban zero-hour contracts for companies working with the Mayor. 42. Create a youth committee to give young people a direct say in regional rules. 43. Focus adult education money on practical building trades rather than digital tech. 44. Add a tourist tax to hotel stays to fund local arts and culture. 45. Freeze the Mayor's share of your council tax bill for the next three years. 46. Publish a public website showing exactly where the Mayor spends money. 47. Let a group of ordinary citizens decide how to spend part of the budget. 48. Demand the power to keep the income tax generated in Greater Manchester.