Supplementary Vote
A voting system where voters mark a first and second choice and second preferences transfer if no candidate wins outright.
On 30 July, second preferences gave the restored Supplementary Vote its first mayoral test, carrying Bev Craig from 47.1% to 66.3% in Greater Manchester.
Last refreshed: 7 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why did second preferences decide the Greater Manchester mayoral race for the first time?
Timeline for Supplementary Vote
Mentioned in: Tees Valley faces Best Value inspection
UK Local Elections 2026Mentioned in: Burnham pledges to change voting system
UK Local Elections 2026Mentioned in: Craig puts £20m into high streets
UK Local Elections 2026Sent the count to a second round for the first time in the mayoralty's history
UK Local Elections 2026: Craig wins Manchester in its first second roundReturned to English mayoral and PCC elections from 18 June
UK Local Elections 2026: How English mayors got the transfer vote backBackground
The Supplementary Vote is a preferential electoral system for contests where voters mark a first and second choice. If no candidate wins an outright majority on first preferences, all but the leading two are eliminated and usable second preferences transfer between those finalists.
Parliament restored the system through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026, which received Royal Assent on 29 April and took effect for English mayoral and police commissioner elections on 18 June. The change reversed the Elections Act 2022's move to First Past the Post.
Westminster still uses First past the post. Andy Burnham told Labour's conference on 29 September 2026 that the party's next manifesto would promise a new voting system, but he did not say which one.
Transfers settle Manchester's first contest
The vacancy arose because Andy Burnham left the mayoralty for Westminster. On 30 July, the Supplementary Vote determined Greater Manchester's mayoral result after no candidate won an outright majority on first preferences. Voters had marked a first and second choice under the system restored for English mayors from 18 June.
Eliminating all but the leading two candidates made second preferences decisive. Bev Craig's first-count lead of 47.1% became a 66.3% victory over Sian Astley after transfers, giving the restored system its first such result. Turnout was 25.1%.
What is the Supplementary Vote?
When did the Supplementary Vote return for English mayoral elections?
Why was the Supplementary Vote replaced by First Past the Post in 2022?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 7 October 2026. Editorial standards.