𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The polls have now closed and voting has concluded for the Clacton by-election which took place on Thursday (August 13). Approximately 80,000 people could have attended one of the 51 polling stations throughout the constituency to cast their ballot.

The count is anticipated to begin shortly after polls closed at 10pm on Thursday, with results not expected until the early hours of Friday morning (August 14). EssexLive will be delivering live coverage of the Clacton by-election with updates throughout the evening and into the night as counting commences.

During general elections, the public often gain an indication of the winner through an exit poll, which can be released once polls close at 10pm. It’s gathered through questioning voters as they depart polling stations, disclosing the predicted outcome as soon as voting finishes, and it can be a reliable method of determining whether there will be a majority government or a hung parliament.

However, no exit poll has been commissioned for the Clacton by-election. Mr Farage intended it to be a “people versus the establishment” contest but, instead of Labour and Conservative opponents, he’s up against 33 other candidates including satirical contender Count Binface, actor-turned-politician Laurence Fox, three from the Official Monster Raving Loony Party and a range of independents.

The Reform UK leader stood down as an MP to force the by-election in objection to media and parliamentary examination of donations from his supporters.

The poll is estimated to have cost taxpayers approximately £250,000 and the 90cm-long ballot paper has additionally created logistical challenges for Tendring District Council.

The dimensions of the ballot paper mean bigger tables than normal will be needed at the count and the result will be declared on the floor of Clacton Leisure Centre instead of on a stage owing to the number of candidates who would need to fit on it.

Photographers and television cameras covering the count have been advised by officials they will require a wide-angle lens to capture all the candidates in a single photograph.

At the 2024 general election, Mr Farage secured Clacton with 46.2 per cent of the vote and a majority of 8,405 over his Conservative opponent.

The 34 candidates in Clacton surpass the previous record of 26 candidates, established at the Haltemprice and Howden by-election in July 2008, which was triggered by Tory Sir David Davis in his own constituency and similarly disregarded by the main Westminster parties.