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Explained in plain English

How often are byelections?

Byelections happen whenever an elected official, like a mayor or MP, leaves their post before their term ends. This could be due to resignation, death, or taking a new job, as Andy Burnham did to become Prime Minister. They're not scheduled, so their frequency varies.

Stories that explain this

Greater Manchester mayoral byelection sees Labour expected to win comfortably

Questions this opens up

Who calls a byelection? How long is a mayoral term? What is a snap election?

This explainer came from a news story

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