Concerns Raised Over Voting Irregularities in Gorton and Denton By-Election

The Gorton and Denton by-election has been marred by allegations of voting irregularities, specifically concerning “family voting,” prompting calls for investigation from multiple parties. The concerns were raised by Democracy Volunteers, an election observer group, following observations made at polling stations during the February 26th, 2026, by-election.

Democracy Volunteers Report ‘High Levels’ of Collusion

Democracy Volunteers deployed four accredited observers to 22 of the 45 polling stations in the constituency. Observers reported 32 instances of what they termed “family voting” – apparent collusion on voting choices, a breach of secret ballot rules clarified by the Ballot Secrecy Act in 2023. Nine of these cases occurred at a single polling station. According to the organization, they observed family voting in 68% of the polling stations visited, affecting 12% of the voters they observed. This represents the highest level of such incidents recorded by Democracy Volunteers in their 10-year history of observing UK elections. In comparison, a recent by-election in Runcorn and Helsby saw family voting in 12% of polling stations, affecting only 1% of voters.

Dr. John Ault, director of Democracy Volunteers, stated the data collected on family voting was “extremely high” when compared to other recent by-elections. The group also noted instances of voters taking photographs of their ballot papers and one case of a person being authorized to vote despite already having cast a ballot.

Political Reactions and Calls for Investigation

The Labour Party, whose candidate ultimately finished in third place, described the reports as “extremely worrying and concerning.” Labour Party chair Anna Turley indicated the party would await the full report from Democracy Volunteers before deciding on appropriate action. Green Party leader Zack Polanski expressed support for a full investigation to ensure transparency in the democratic process. David Bull, chair of Reform UK, stated that electoral fraud is “a stain on democracy” and should be reported and addressed fairly under the law.

Council Response and Concerns Over Signage

Manchester City Council stated that its polling station staff were trained to identify voter interference and that no issues were reported during polling hours. A spokesperson for the acting returning officer criticized Democracy Volunteers for not raising concerns during the day, suggesting immediate action could have been taken. Democracy Volunteers also noted that signage discouraging “family voting” was only present in 45% of the polling stations observed.

Green Party Victory Amidst Controversy

The by-election resulted in a historic win for the Green Party, with Hannah Spencer receiving 14,980 votes. Reform UK’s Matt Goodwin came in second with 10,578 votes, while Labour’s candidate received 9,364 votes. The Green Party’s victory marks the first time the party has won a parliamentary by-election.