The exact wheres, whens, whos and hows are covered by our experienced election corespondent Angus Young. The whys, you’ll have to work out yourself.
A new chapter in the region’s political history will be written this Thursday, May 1, when votes will be cast in the first ever Hull and East Yorkshire mayoral election. It’s a chance for people to decide who will be the leader of a new combined authority which is being created as part of a devolution deal with the government. The new mayor and the authority will be responsible for strategic issues such as economic development, transport, housing, planning and skills.
Six candidates are standing in the contest to become the new mayor. In alphabetical order they are: Luke Campbell (Reform UK); Rowan Halstead (Yorkshire Party); Anne Handley (Conservative Party); Kerry Harrison (Green Party)); Margaret Pinder (Labour and Co-operative Party)) and Mike Ross (Liberal Democrats).
On election day, the candidates’ names will appear in the same alphabetical order on each ballot paper. Polling stations will be open across Hull and East Yorkshire between 7am and 10pm on May 1. Every registered elector should receive an official poll letter before polling day itself which explains where, when and how to vote.
Details of your local polling station are included in the letter or by contacting your local council election office. You can also find out the location of your local polling station by visiting wheredoivote.co.uk
It’s probably worth remembering you can only vote in person at your local polling station. However, you do not need to take the poll letter with you in order to vote. What you do need to take is a photo ID such as a passport, driving licence, disabled driver blue badge or an OAP bus pass.
When you arrive at the polling station you are required to give your name and address to the polling staff as well as producing your photo ID before a ballot paper is issued. Voting requires a simple X being placed next to the name of your preferred candidate. Any other mark or words written on the ballot paper will invalidate it and your vote will not be included in the count.
If you registered for a postal vote and were unable to post it on time, you can still physically hand it in at your local polling station on May 1. You will be asked to fill in a form when you do.
You get one vote and, like local council and general elections, the first past the post voting system is being used so the candidate with the highest number of votes will be elected as mayor.
The votes will be counted on Friday, May 2, so there will be none of the late-night drama usually associated with local and national elections. Instead, the process of validating and counting all the votes will start at 9.30am on Friday. Counting will take place at both the Guildhall in Hull and the Haltemprice Leisure Centre in Anlaby with the final result expected to be declared either later that morning or in the early afternoon.
Angus Young