Polls open across Cumbria as crucial council elections get underway

The Local Elections will affect who controls the district councils in each area.

It follows boundary changes, which have cut the number of councillor seats available in many areas.

The polls open at 7am and close at 10pm.

In Carlisle, hundreds of polling stations staff are ready to help voters in Carlisle understand the changes.

The city council will have 241 people on duty in 115 stations across the district.

It is an all-out election to the authority following a decision to cut the number of councillors - and politicians will be returned using a form of proportional representation.

In some wards more than 10 candidates are standing.

Voters can select up to three candidates from any of the candidates in the list.

The three candidates that receive the most votes will be elected to represent the ward.

If voters choose more than three candidates on their ballot paper, their vote will be spoilt and will not be counted.

Changes recommended by the Boundary Commission mean that Carlisle will now be represented by 39, 13 fewer than the current arrangement. They will represent 13 three-councillor wards.

Those wards are: Belah & Kingmoor; Botcherby & Harraby North; Brampton & Fellside; Cathedral & Castle; Currock & Upperby; Dalston & Burgh; Denton Holme & Morton South; Harraby South & Parklands; Longtown & the Border; Newtown & Morton North; Sandsfield & Morton West; Stanwix & Houghton; and Wetheral & Corby.

Barbara Lines, Electoral Commission regional manager for the North of England, said: “Voters who have opted to vote by post need to make sure their postal ballot pack is returned by 10pm and can hand it in at their polling station if they don’t have time to return it by post.”

Most of the counts, including Carlisle, will take place during on Friday.

However Copeland's mayoral election count will take place through the night.

Follow details as they happen at www.newsandstar.co.uk.