Why the historic Greater Manchester mayoral by-election is the first of its kind

Voters will head to the polls on Thursday16:38, 29 Jul 2026In a matter of hours, an election will be taking place which will have an incredible impact on how Greater Manchester is run.‌On Thursday, July 30, voters across the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester will head to the polls to have their say on who should be the region's next mayor.‌With the mayor having a direct say over setting budgets and priorities across the region, covering areas such as transport, housing, policing and more, the election is sure to have an incredible impact on those living across all the boroughs.‌Click here for the latest on Greater Manchester's politics in our newsletterHowever, the election is not just set to be monumental in terms of its impact on Greater Manchester, but also due to its historic nature.