Southend West by-election result expected early on Friday - BBC News
The Essex seat became vacant following the fatal stabbing of Sir David Amess MP in October.
The votes in the Southend West by-election will be counted at the Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre

Voting in the Southend West by-election has now closed.

The election was called following the death of Sir David Amess MP, who had served the constituency in Essex since 1997.

The Conservative MP, who was 69, was fatally stabbed during a constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church Hall in Leigh-on-Sea on 15 October.

The result is expected in the early hours of Friday morning. Nine candidates were on the ballot paper.

Of the major parties, only the Conservatives were standing while Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party did not field candidates out of respect for Sir David.

BBC political reporter Simon Dedman, who is at the count, said turnout was low at 24% from an electorate of 66,354.

Turnout in Southend West for the 2019 General Election was 67%, when Sir David had a 14,459 majority.

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The lowest turnout in any by-election since World War Two was in Manchester Central in 2012, when it was just over 18%.

The Southend West by-election was held to find a replacement for Sir David Amess MP who was killed in October

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