The Clacton parliamentary by-election features the longest ballot paper in British political history, measuring 90cm (3ft) long. Tendring District Council has stated that printing this ballot paper is four times more expensive than printing regular ones.
The by-election, prompted by the resignation of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, includes 34 candidates. Among these are a record 20 independent candidates. Nigel Farage is standing again in the election, having resigned as MP for Clacton on 7 July following scrutiny over his finances and a parliamentary investigation.
Ian Davidson, Tendring District Council chief executive and acting returning officer, described organising the vote as "manic." His teams are making changes to usual election procedures, including using double tables at polling stations to accommodate the long ballot papers and sorting them in batches before verification or counting. Most registered voters are expected to go to polling stations on 13 August, with postal votes already being returned.
Professor Paul Whiteley of the University of Essex noted that the previous record for candidates in a House of Commons seat was 26 in the Haltemprice and Howden by-election in July 2008. Prior to that, the Newbury by-election in 1993 had 19 candidates.