Polls have opened across England, Scotland and Wales for a key set of elections.
Dubbed ‘Super Thursday’, today will see Britons vote in a significant variety of elections, with more than 48 million people registered to do so. Among the elections taking place today, people will be able to cast their votes for local elections, mayoral elections, the Senedd election, Scottish Parliament election, Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections and the London Assembly election.
A number of by-elections are also taking place, including in Hartlepool where voters will get to choose their new MP.
The elections are the first chances for voters to have their say at the polls since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and since the UK left the European Union. The results of the elections in the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd will determine the next governments in each country, potentially shaping the future of the countries and the UK as a whole. Meanwhile, results for local, mayoral and PCC elections will be important for determining the future governance of local areas and regions.
While the election results won’t directly impact politicians in Westminster, the results will help to paint a strong picture of public opinion for the major parties.
A number of elections that were originally scheduled for May 2020 were delayed until today as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. As a result of the virus, a number of safety measures will be in place at polling stations and it is expected to take longer than usual for results to be announced.
Key points – how can I vote?
- If you’ve registered to vote and have not already voted, you can cast your vote at your local polling station
- You should have received a polling card in the post with details of your nearest polling station – you can also find details here
- Be sure you know about the elections and candidates before setting off
- When heading to a polling station, take your own pen or pencil if you can
- Make sure to leave in plenty of time – polling stations close at 10pm (do not travel to the polling station if you have coronavirus symptoms)
- At the polling station, follow instructions of staff and adhere to safety measures such as social distancing and wear a face-covering where required to do so (unless exempt)
