All three candidates for the upcoming police, fire and crime commissioner (PFCC) election have urged voters to turn out at the polls.

Cumbrians are set to go to the polls on Thursday, May 2 in order to vote for the county’s next PFCC with incumbent, Peter McCall stepping down.

The Conservatives and being represent by current deputy PFCC, Mike Johnson, Labour are being represented by former Cumbria Police superintendent, David Allen and Liberal Democrats have selected Kirkby Stephen town councillor, Adrian Waite.

Previous PFCC have been characterised by low voter turnout with less than 30 per cent of the electorate turning out to vote in the previous three elections, all of which have been won by the Conservatives.

An even lower turnout is possible this year as the PFCC vote is the only election in the county as there are no major local or national elections coinciding on Thursday, May 2.

“It is disappointing that we see such a low turnout for such an important role,” said Conservative candidate, Mike Johnson.

“There's no other elected position in Cumbria that carries this sort of responsibility.

“To ensure that our policing and fire services are there for them when they need them, to make sure that they're trained in all the areas that they need to be.

“Whilst people stand for the commissioner role with a party, I would ask them to forget what's going on in national politics and look at the individuals because everybody's vote makes a difference and it's really important that they end up voting for the person that they believe can deliver that difference in Cumbria.”

Mr Johnson’s thoughts were echoed by Liberal Democrat candidate, Adrian Waite.

“The message I'm trying to get across to people is this is an important election,” said Mr Waite.

“What the police service does, and the fire service does matters.

“It matters very much if people feel safe on the streets, if they've got community policing or not, it matters if women and girls feel safe.

“I would encourage everybody to turn out to vote and I'm going around talking to people and a lot of folk are interested in in police and crime and fire issues and are going to turn out.”

Labour candidate, David Allen said it was a ‘perfect storm’ to create a potential low turnout in this PFCC election but encouraged voters to go to the polling booth.

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“The PFCC has a lot of influence,” said Mr Allen.

“Locally, I can, if elected, determine what the police and the fire service do over four years, how they interact and how they engage with the public.

“That's the influence and the power that the PFCC has. What I intend to do is, over, you know, fingers crossed, more than one term, turn that about, put it the other way so that you actually do see police on the street, that do engage and that do respond to what the public wants.

“It's a really important role, locally, and it can make a massive difference to how things are done locally and I think people should engage with it.”