Voters are preparing to cast their ballots in a series of local and mayoral elections taking place across parts of England on Thursday.
Elections will be held for 24 of England’s 317 local councils, as well as six mayoral authorities on 1 May.
Additionally, a by-election will take place in Runcorn and Helsby to determine the next MP for the Cheshire constituency.
Polling stations open at 07:00 BST and will close at 22:00, with results expected throughout the night and into Friday.
These elections represent the first significant test since the Labour Party’s overwhelming victory in last year’s general election.
Roughly 1,650 seats are up for grabs across 14 county councils, eight unitary authorities, one metropolitan district, and the Isles of Scilly.
Mayoralties up for election include the West of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Doncaster, North Tyneside, and, for the first time, Hull and East Yorkshire, as well as Greater Lincolnshire.
The Runcorn and Helsby by-election was prompted by the resignation of former Labour MP Mike Amesbury, following his conviction for an assault on a constituent.
Originally, all 21 county councils in England were due for elections this year.
However, the government has postponed elections in nine areas where local authorities are undergoing reorganisation.
Counties holding elections this year include Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire, Devon, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire.
Other elections include those for the unitary authorities of Buckinghamshire, Cornwall, Durham, North Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Shropshire, West Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, along with Doncaster Metropolitan Council and the Isles of Scilly, which operates under a distinct governance arrangement.
Most results are anticipated by Friday evening.
No local elections are scheduled this week in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
In-person voters will be required to show approved photo identification at polling stations.
There are over 20 accepted types of identification, including passports, driving licences, and, from 1 May, Armed Forces Veteran Cards.
The BBC has released thorough editorial guidelines outlining its policy for covering the election period.
As per regulations, the BBC and other broadcasters are prohibited from reporting on campaigning or election issues across TV, radio, or digital platforms on polling day until voting concludes at 22:00.