Polls open for by-election in Milton Keynes following death of Shanika Mahendran
The polls are open today (Thursday) for a by-election for the New Bradwell ward, which was called following the death of former Milton Keynes city councillor Shanika Mahendran.
Shanika, a Labour councillor in the city since 2022, died on July 1 at the age of 28 following a short illness.
In May of this year Shanika was elected to the New Bradwell ward, alongside fellow Labour candidate Stephen Brown, in the first elections since boundary changes were made across the city.
Shanika’s death triggered a by-election for the vacant seat, which is being held on September 24.
The five candidates for the seat are Tracey Bailey (Labour Party), Julian Vernon Camies (Reform UK), Martin Kenneth Clarke (Liberal Democrats), Gabriel Ferreira da Costa (Conservative Party) and Alan Francis (Green Party).
Julian Vernon Camies and Alan Francis both stood for election to the New Bradwell ward at the city council elections in May this year.
Voting will be open for registered electors until 10pm this evening, with polling stations located at Bradville Hall Community Centre, the Mathiesen Centre in Bradville, New Bradwell Community Centre in New Bradwell, the portacabin at Linear Park car park on Selkirk Drive and Christ Church at Stantonbury Campus.
Votes will be counted and the result declared tomorrow (Friday).
During her time in office, Shanika served as the city council’s cabinet member for planning and placemaking, and prior to that as cabinet member for economy, sustainability and innovation.
While an elected councillor, Shanika worked as a Local Government Coordinator for the Labour Party, where she was part of former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s politics team, while earlier this year she was named as one of Planner Magazine’s Women of Influence 2026.