Polling stations in the Clacton constituency opened at 7am local time on August 13, 2026, for a by-election triggered by Nigel Farage's July 7 resignation from the seat he has held since 2024. Farage, leader of Reform UK, described the resignation amid financial scrutiny as a stitch-up and framed the contest as the people of Clacton versus the establishment. The ballot includes 33 fringe candidates and features an oversized sample paper at a Walton-on-the-Naze polling station.