[3] The mayoral combined authority has a budget and powers relating to growth, adult education and skills, housing and regeneration.

All registered electors living in the North East aged 18 or over on 2 May 2024 were entitled to vote in the mayoral election.

Those who were temporarily away from the North East (for example, away working, on holiday, in student accommodation or in hospital) were also entitled to vote in the mayoral election.

The Green Party candidate Andrew Gray said he supported 15-minute city principles that would reduce demand for transport.

[4] The Reform UK candidate Paul Donaghy, Driscoll and McGuinness all criticised the model, saying that public transport was a better way of improving air quality.

[10] The Conservative UK government proposed using money that had been planned for High Speed 2 to re-open the Leamside line, estimated to cost close to £2 billion.

Driscoll and McGuinness said they were seeking central government funding for the estimated £20 million cost of producing a business case to reopen the railway.

McGuinness proposed a "mayoral development corporation to drive green energy investment in the North East's ports and rivers".

[20] Driscoll stood for selection to be Labour's candidate in the 2019 North of Tyne mayoral election, defeating Newcastle council leader Nick Forbes in February 2019.

[21] He ran as the more radical candidate after being supported by left-wing figures, including shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, Noam Chomsky, Paul Mason, Clive Lewis and Laura Pidcock.

[22] Driscoll ran on a platform with five primary pledges: Community Wealth Building, Green Industrial Revolution, Setting up Community Hubs, Building Affordable Homes, and Meaningful Adult Education, winning the 2019 North of Tyne mayoral election with 56.1% of the vote.

[29] In June 2023, Driscoll was barred from the selection process to determine a Labour Party candidate for Mayor of the North East.

The controversial decision was defended by Starmer-ally Baroness Chapman of Darlington as "simply guaranteeing the highest quality candidates".

[35] On 26 November 2023, it was announced that Guy Renner-Thompson, the children's and education chief for Northumberland County Council would be the Conservative Party candidate for the election.

[39] Paul Donaghy, a councillor on Sunderland City Council, was announced as the Reform UK candidate in January 2024.

[41] On 28 April, the campaign group More in Common released opinion polling placing McGuinness and Driscoll as the front runners, stating "a win from either candidate would be well within the margin of error."