We are just past the midway point between candidate announcements on 9th April 2021 and the election which concludes at 10pm on 6th May 2021.
If you have chosen to vote by post this year you will have at least three ballot papers as this year is a busy one in democracy.
If you are in the Liverpool City Council region, you have the opportunity to vote for Mayor of Liverpool, but this will not apply if you are in Sefton.
In both Liverpool and Sefton, there are elections for a Combined Authority Mayor (also known as a Metro Mayor), a Police and Crime Commissioner, and a local authority candidate.
Usually there are candidates from all of the major political parties and also independent candidates.
What is a Metro Mayor?
A metro mayor is the directly elected leader of a combined authority, which means neighbouring local authorities that cover a city region. The mayor chairs a cabinet of leaders and the idea is that pooling resources and powers benefits the region as a whole.
These directly elected mayor roles came out of the Government’s devolution agenda which followed on from the Local Government Act 2000; the idea being that local representatives have better knowledge. Referendums to decide whether or not to introduce them were planned for 2012 in the 11 largest cities of England. Before these took place, some regions were ahead of the curve with Leicester, Liverpool and Salford quick to get on board. Doncaster already had a similar system and voted to retain it.
Many cities voted against the notion, but Bristol voted for and they are now represented by the West of England Metro Mayor, first elected in 2017. In this year the following combined authorities also elected metro mayors: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; Greater Manchester; Liverpool City Region; Tees Valley and West Midlands. The four year terms are now up and the position will be democratically decided again on 6th May 2021 along with West Yorkshire will hold their inaugural metro mayor election this year.
Sheffield City Region elected their first metro mayor in May 2018, with North of Tyne following in May 2019, so their representatives have a little longer to serve.
For more information visit: http://www.centreforcities.org/publication/everything-need-know-metro-mayors/
What is a Police and Crime Commissioner?
A PCC is an elected official in England and Wales responsible for securing efficient and effective policing of a police area. A police area is a territorial police force as set out in legislation.
PCCs replaced Police Authorities and were introduced in 2012, with subsequent elections in 2016 and proposed elections in 2020. These were delayed by the pandemic and will be held in 2021.
The PCC candidates have manifestos and if elected need to produce a police and crime plan. They hold the Chief Constable to account and are responsible for managing the funding which comes from Home Office annual grants, and Council Tax precepts.
For more information visit: http://www.apccs.police.uk/role-of-the-pcc/
What is a local council candidate?
All councils are led by democratically elected councillors whose responsibilities include representing their ward and constituents, decision making – developing and reviewing council policy, scrutinising decisions taken by executive and cabinet and some regulatory, quasi-judicial and statutory duties.
It is a requirement that you live or work in the council area where you seek to represent members of a ward. Wards are also known as electoral divisions and in urban areas they typically contain similar numbers of electors (people eligible to vote) and elect three councillors. In rural areas, there may only be one or two councillors for the electorate of the ward or division.
Again, candidates can either stand as a member of a political party, or as an independent candidate.
For more information visit: http://www.gov.uk/government/get-involved/take-part/become-a-councillor
How do I choose who to vote for?
Some voters will vote for whichever candidate is representing the political party they most closely align with, or are a member of.
However, some voters do not hold a party membership and may vote for candidates from more than one party across the three elections.
Some candidates will be standing for re-election so it is worth reviewing their track record and views. New candidates will share their relevant experience, and are often happy to be approached to discuss this further.
Your candidates will campaign via a variety of methods including canvassing views via telephone or on the doorstep, social media contact and leaflets.
It may seem frustrating to get lots of shiny paper through your door in election season, but it is worth reading as lots of time and thought will have gone into the content, and it is a great way to get to know your candidates and consider whether you think they will represent you and your community.
I have also written an article to tell people a little more about my journey and priorities. labourhub.org.uk/2021/04/20/a-safe-home-should-be-a-right-for-all
Who can vote?
In Wales and Scotland, you can vote in national parliament elections from age 16, for all other elections and any in England and Northern Ireland you need to be 18 or over on the day of the election.
You must have registered to vote by the deadline, then you will get a polling card or you can apply for a postal vote.
Once you are registered to vote, you will remain on the electoral role and do not need to re-register for future elections. You can register from the age of 16 to be prepared.
If you are voting in person, your polling card will tell you where to go. Students can vote in their home area, and in the area they live when studying (if the two are different). For more information visit: https://www.gov.uk/how-to-vote
