Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner election: All you need to know

Ballot boxes are carried into the hall at the Richard Dunn Centre, Bradford, for counting in the 2015 General Election. 7 May 2015. Picture Bruce Rollinson

Nottinghamshire goes to the polls today to elect a Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for the county.

Polling stations opened at 7am and will close at 10pm.

Paddy Tipping is running for the role again after being elected four years ago.

The turnout for the last vote in 2012 was just 16.8 per cent in Nottinghamshire.

The role of a Police and Crime Commissioner:

A PCC is elected to make sure that local police meet the needs of the community.

A PCC is in charge of how your area is policed, the priorities of the force, the police budget and the amount of Council Tax charge for the police.

Voting:

To register to vote applications must have been received by your local district council by Monday, April 18. You can’t turn up on the day and vote.

PCCs are elected using the Supplementary Vote system. You make a first and second choice when you vote.

If no candidate gets more than 50 per cent of the first choice votes, all except the top two candidates are eliminated. If your first choice candidate is eliminated, and your second choice is for one of the top two, your second choice is counted.

The five Nottinghamshire candidates standing are:

Tony Bates – Independent

Tony Harper – The Conservative Party Candidate

Fran Loi – UK Independence Party (UKIP)

Paddy Tipping – Labour Party

Jason Bernard Zadrozny – Independent