All you need to know about the Blackpool South by-election
Granada Reports political correspondent Andrew Misra went to the Blackpool South constituency to find out more.
Voters will go to the polls in the Blackpool South by-election on 2 May.
It was triggered by the resignation of Conservative former MP Scott Benton, who was suspended for 35 days after becoming embroiled in a lobbying scandal.
It falls on the same day as local elections across England and Wales, but voters who live in the constituency are unaffected.
Polls will open at 7am and close at 10pm.
What is the constituency like?
Blackpool South comprises of the central and southern parts of Blackpool, including Blackpool Tower and the Pleasure Beach.
Blackpool FC and the site of Blackpool Airport are also within the boundaries.
The constituency was held by the Conservatives for more than 50 years until Labour's historic country-wide landslide in 1997.
It then formed a tower of strength in the so-called red wall, until it toppled to the Conservatives once again in 2019.
Now the marginal seat - with a Conservative majority of 3,690 - is being targeted by Labour once again.
What happened to trigger the by-election?
Mr Benton was caught by the Times in April 2023 offering to lobby ministers and table parliamentary questions on behalf of gambling investors.
The undercover investigation by the paper showed the former MP explaining how he could use his position to try and limit the biggest reforms to gambling laws since 2005.
After it was referred to the Commons Standards Committee, Mr Benton’s actions were found to be an “extremely serious breach” of the rules.
It recommended a 35 day suspension, which was backed by the House of Commons, and as it began the process of triggering a by-election.
But a month later, Mr Benton announced on social media he would quit Parliament rather than wait for the outcome.
Who are the candidates?
There are nine candidates running in the by-election.
Stephen Black - Independent
On his Tik Tok profile, Stephen Black says "vote for yourselves" calling for "bringing utilities back into public ownership" and a "sustainable economy".
Mark Butcher - Reform UK
Mark Butcher says he can provide "loyalty" and "dedication" to the people of Blackpool and he wants to "set a new standard for anyone who is dealing with the homeless or vulnerable people"
Andrew Cregan - Liberal Democrats
Andrew Cregan says he wants to "fight to make Blackpool a great place to live, move to and invest in."
Howling Laud Hope - Monster Raving Loony
Howling Laud Hope's plans include "selling Blackpool to Walt Disney" and "rejuvenating" the town's airport.
David Jones - Conservative Party
The priorities for David Jones are reopening Blackpool Airport to commercial flight, healthcare, protecting Stanley Park from development, ensuring the delivery of the Blackpool College multiversity, crackdown on crime and make a success of the Blackpool Central project.
Kim Knight - Alliance for Democracy and Freedom
Kim Knight says: "I will stand for the people of Blackpool. As an independent MP I can give 100% for the people. I will wage war with any government to achieve the best for the people, the constituents...I will go over Blackpool Accounts with a fine tooth comb and make my findings public, so we all know where we stand and if I can see saving or better value for money, I will expect that to be reflected in better service or reduced local taxes."
Damon Sharp - New Open Non-Political Organised Leadership
On their campaign website, Damon Sharp says he wants to "document how bad things are" and "create a preferred future state" with a "plan how to get there".
He says it will be "published for public comment so we can all decide what needs to be done to fix Blackpool South".
Ben Thomas - Green
Ben Thomas "believes that Green policies can help make Blackpool great again" and has plans to "beat the housing crisis, the climate emergency and the high cost of living".
Chris Webb - Labour
Chris Webb says he's "standing in this election because I care". He adds "voters now have the opportunity to elect someone who is Blackpool born and bred and who will always put Blackpool South first".