EXPLAINER - Clacton by-election: What to know about 'unusual' UK vote

• It is highly unusual for Nigel Farage, a sitting MP with a healthy majority, to seek to be re-elected by his own constituents following a Sunday Times report
• Labour Party, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, and the Green Party have all ruled out contesting the by-election

Voters in the English coastal town of Clacton will head to the polls on Thursday in an unusual parliamentary by-election triggered by the resignation of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

Farage’s resignation last month as the MP for Clacton has triggered a by-election featuring a record 34 candidates, with major parties opting not to contest the seat.

Here’s what to know about the unusual Aug. 13 vote:

Why is there a by-election in Clacton?

The resignation came after The Sunday Times reported that he received financial support from a longstanding ally before he became an MP, which he did not declare to parliamentary authorities in the 2024 general elections.

It came after it emerged, earlier this year, he separately received a £5 million ($6.7 million) gift from a party donor before the election.

The issue has prompted a political row between Farage and opposition parties, along with wide-range of media coverage on his financial affairs.

However, in a video statement, the Reform UK party leader said he had done nothing wrong and he wanted voters to judge his actions rather than journalists.

Why is this vote seen as unusual?

In the UK, this kind of by-election is normally only held when a lawmaker dies or is forced to resign.

It is highly unusual for a sitting MP with a healthy majority to seek to be re-elected by his own constituents.

In Farage's case, he intentionally stood down from the post and announced that he would run again.

As he said his pitch to voters will be that voting him back into Parliament would be a chance for them to "stick two fingers up to the entire establishment."

Since a total of 34 people are contesting the seat, it will be the longest ballot paper in British electoral history.

Who are the candidates?

Apart from Farage, there are 33 other candidates on the ballot, either from smaller political parties or are standing as independents.

Nine of those candidates' names have already appeared on multiple ballot papers elsewhere in the country, including Reclaim Party leader Laurence Fox and satirical candidates Count Binface (Comedian Jon Harvey) and Howling Laud Hope.

According to the BBC, Howling Laud Hope contested either parliamentary or London mayoral elections 38 times in total including the upcoming by-election.

"Nick the Incredible Flying Brick" contested 14 times, "Joseph 77" nine times and Count Binface seven times.

Why have major political parties opted out?

Labour Party, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, and the Green Party have all ruled out contesting the Clacton by-election.

The parties which decided not to run in the by-elections called it a "fake election," saying with this move Farage is causing "distraction."

Then-Foreign Secretary, now Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said the by-election "shouldn't be happening" and accused Farage of throwing a "political tantrum" as a distraction.

"Nobody is going to get drawn into what is a political stunt by Nigel Farage because he wants to duck and dive around the rules that apply to everyone," she told BBC last month.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said her party would not participate in "the fake election, which Nigel Farage is causing to distract people from what is happening."

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats had urged the government to block Farage's resignation until the standards investigation had concluded, arguing that his constituents needed "all the facts before they cast their votes."

In response, Zia Yusuf, Reform Party's home affairs spokesman, said rival parties are "running scared" of Farage.

- What do the polls say?

A Survation poll of 502 Clacton voters conducted by telephone last month on behalf of Mandate Research suggested that Farage held a commanding lead.

According to the survey released last week, Farage leads Count Binface by 73% to 20% once undecideds are excluded, a margin of 53 points.

The remaining 32 candidates split the other 7%.

Polling stations will be open from 7 a.m. local time (0600GMT) to 10 p.m. (2100GMT).