The Clacton parliamentary by-election will take place on Thursday, 13 August 2026, when voters will choose their next MP from a record field of 34 candidates.
Polling stations across the Essex constituency will be open from 7am until 10pm. Almost 80,000 people are eligible to vote and Tendring District Council has booked 51 polling stations for the contest.
The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Nigel Farage, who is standing again as the Reform UK candidate.
Why is there a Clacton by-election?
Farage resigned as the MP for Clacton in July, vacating a seat he won for Reform UK at the 2024 general election. He subsequently announced that he would seek a fresh mandate from the constituency in the resulting by-election.
Farage has presented the contest as an opportunity for local voters to decide whether he should return to Parliament. His political opponents have described the decision to resign and immediately stand again as an unnecessary publicity stunt.
Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party have chosen not to field candidates. Despite their absence, the official Statement of Persons Nominated contains 34 names, believed to be the largest number of candidates ever to contest a UK parliamentary election.
The previous record was understood to be 26 candidates at the 2008 Haltemprice and Howden by-election.
An illustrative image of Nigel Farage and Count Binface outside Clacton Pier ahead of the parliamentary by-election. Image: Ayes To The Right
Who is standing in the Clacton by-election?
Farage is joined on the ballot by actor and Reclaim Party founder Laurence Fox, Social Democratic Party leader William Clouston, Rejoin EU candidate John Stevens and satirical candidate Count Binface.
Three candidates are standing under the Official Monster Raving Loony Party description, while a large number of independents and representatives of smaller parties complete the field.
The full official list is:
| Candidate | Party or Description |
| Joseph 77 | Independent |
| Adham Alkhatip | The Forward Party |
| Count Binface | Count Binface Party |
| Nick The Incredible Flying Brick | The Official Monster Raving Loony Party |
| Tony Cane | Independent |
| Woke Trump Carrzee | Independent |
| William Stuart James Clouston | Social Democratic Party |
| Rees Cowne | Independent |
| Glenn Charles Cummings | Independent |
| Martin Davies | Freedom Alliance – Real People, Real Alternative! |
| Andy Erlam | Independent |
| Nigel Farage | Reform UK |
| Attieh Fard | Independent |
| Laurence Fox | The Reclaim Party |
| Tony Francis | Independent |
| Robin Green | Independent |
| Abi Hookway | Independent |
| Howling Laud Hope | The Official Monster Raving Loony Party |
| Stephen Richard Ingram | Independent |
| Amy Morris | Independent |
| Derrick Norbert Morris | Independent |
| Michael Noel O'Keeffe | Independent |
| Martyn OBrien | Independent |
| Nick Pelas | Independent |
| Ketankumar Pipaliya | UK VOICE safer and stronger UK |
| Daniel Pocock | Independent |
| James Ransley | Consensus Party Candidate |
| Gerry Smith | Independent |
| Kai Stephens | British Democrats |
| John Stevens | Rejoin EU |
| Baron Von Thunderclap | The Official Monster Raving Loony Party |
| Pamela Walford | Independent |
| Marcus White | Everyone is God Party |
| Marc Wilkinson | Independent |
What do voters need to know?
Anyone voting at a polling station will need to present an accepted form of photographic identification. Accepted documents include a passport, driving licence, Blue Badge and certain concessionary travel passes.
The deadlines to register for the election and apply for an ordinary postal vote have now passed. The deadline for eligible voters to apply for a proxy vote or a free Voter Authority Certificate is 5pm on Wednesday, 5 August.
Votes will be counted after polling stations close on 13 August, with the successful candidate becoming the new Member of Parliament for Clacton.