The race to become the Thames Valley’s first ever elected police leader culminates on Thursday when voters head to the polls.
People must choose from six candidates to become the police and crime commissioner, who will be responsible for hiring and firing the chief constable, handling the budget and setting priorities.
Voters can either take part by post or visit a polling station between 7am and 10pm tomorrow (Thursday).
The supplementary vote system is being used for the election, meaning people can choose a first and second choice candidate. All first choice votes will be counted and if any candidate receives more than 50% of votes they will be elected. If no-one gets over this mark the top two candidates will go through to a second round and the others will be eliminated. Second choice votes of people whose first choice has gone out are then counted and any for the last two standing will be added to their total. The runner with the most votes after this will win.
Vote counting will start on Friday, with results from around the Thames Valley sent to the election headquarters in Aylesbury, where the result should be announced in the late-afternoon.
Those in the running in the Thames Valley are independents Patience Tayo Awe and Geoff Howard, UKIP’s Barry Cooper, John Howson of the Lib Dems, Conservative candidate Anthony Stansfeld and Labour’s Tim Starkey.
For more information on each runner visit www.choosemypcc.org.uk