RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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LONDON \u2014 Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-immigration party Reform UK, had hoped a special election Thursday for his Parliament seat would help quell awkward questions about his finances.But with the major parties refusing to field candidates in the election, voters in a small seaside resort outside London are choosing between a man with eyes on the prime minister's office and a random assortment of candidates, led by a man wearing a trash can on his head.Farage triggered the vote last month when he quit his seat in the hope that it would put to bed questions about his finances and result in a resounding victory over his main political rivals from the Labour and Conservative parties. He said he would let voters judge him in a "people versus the establishment" contest.But his political foes described the move as a stunt and opted not to play ball. Farage is instead facing opponents like Count Binface, a political satirist posing as a comic space alien with a keen interest in earthly matters, including the positioning of a hand dryer in the men's toilet in a pub in west London.While Farage is widely expected to win the race, questions about the millions of pounds in donations that he had received will persist.Record number of candidates standing in ClactonThe election is a novelty with a record 34 candidates, including Howling Laud Hope of The Official Monster Raving Loony Party and Marcus White from the Everyone is God Party. They have pounded the streets of Clacton over the past few weeks as they seek to win the support of around 80,000 voters.Given the numbers standing, Clacton residents will be presented with a ballot paper around 3 feet long. That's not going to be easy to navigate.Turnout is widely expected to be low as it often is in special elections. In the July 2024 general election, Farage faced eight rivals and garnered 21,225 votes, or 46.2% of the total. Turnout was 58.7%.This election is taking place during the summer holidays when thousands of voters will be far away from Clacton. It's also taking place during another U.K. heatwave, which could prompt many to opt against making the trip to the polling station. Britain's Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage arrives at a polling station in Walton on the Naze, Thursday, to cast his vote for the Clacton on Sea by-election. Farage's opponents denounced the election as a stunt. (Photo: Richard Pelham, Associated Press) Election isn't the one Farage was planningFarage, who in 2024
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