Skip to content

Greater Manchester's council elections in 2026

Ian ShoesmithNorth West
News imageEPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock Small black and white dog strains on the lead outside a polling station, which has a large sign outside.EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
People - and maybe their dogs - will head to the polls on 7 May across Greater Manchester's 10 boroughs

People living in all 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester will head to the polls later this year.

Council elections will take place on Thursday 7 May in Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan.

One-third of the seats on each council will be up for grabs.

The 10 local authorities work closely with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, which is chaired the region's mayor, Andy Burnham.

What are the elections in Greater Manchester taking place?

The elections are to vote for councillors on borough or city councils which are responsible for local services including care for the elderly and disabled, rubbish collection and recycling, housing, education and road maintenance.

Why do they matter?

These elections can affect decisions which the council makes in the future. The parties and candidates often hold different positions on policy issues and priorities.

Depending on the political make up of a council after 7 May, and especially if one particular party has a majority, it will influence the direction of the council and the approach it takes when deciding how public money is spent.

How do I register to vote?

The deadline to register to vote in May's council elections is Monday 20 April.

Applications for a postal vote or a postal-proxy vote have to be received by 17:00 BST on the following day.

The deadline to submit your application to vote by proxy is 17:00 on Tuesday 28 April.

You can follow the online link to register.

How can I cast my ballot?

If you want to vote in person, your local polling station will be open from 07:00 to 22:00.

As long as you are in the queue by 22:00 you will be able to exercise your democratic right.

You can find your local polling station here.

Will I need to take ID with me when going to vote?

If you want to vote in person, your local polling station will be open from 07:00 to 22:00.

As long as you are in the queue by 22:00 you will be able to exercise your democratic right.

You can find your local polling station here.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.