If you’re asking yourself “who are these people listed on my ballot paper?” before the May 4 local elections, here’s your answer...

We invited each candidate standing for election in all East Hampshire District Council wards (including Alton, Petersfield, Whitehill and Bordon) and selected Waverley Borough Council wards (in the Farnham and Haslemere areas) to submit a profile of 100 words, explaining who they are and why they deserve your vote.

These can be found via these links:

East Hampshire District Council candidates here.

Waverley Borough Council candidates here.

We also asked candidates standing for Farnham and Haslemere town councils to do likewise, but chose not to run profiles for Alton, Whitehill and Petersfield town councils because of the lack of candidates and elections at these lower-tier authorities:

Farnham Town Council candidates here.

Haslemere Town Council candidates here.

If you are unsure of which ward you live in, this should be included on your ballot paper – or failing that, put in your postcode online at https://www.writetothem.com/

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

There is now just days to go until polling day on Thursday, May 4 – when registered electors will have the chance to vote for their chosen representatives for the next four years.

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on May 4 – with voters’ poll cards received through the post informing them where their designated polling station is. Note many of these polling stations have changed since the last election, so don't assume you can cast your vote in the same place.

At the polling station, for the first time voters will need to show photo ID to vote. A list of accepted ID documents can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/how-to-vote/photo-id-youll-need

They will then be given a ballot paper, which they will need to mark with an X in the box next to their preferred candidate(s).

Anyone who has registered for a postal vote and hasn’t returned their ballot card, can still vote at their designated polling station.

After the polls close at 10pm on May 4, the ballot boxes are taken to a counting hall where they are opened and the votes are counted. 

Counting of the borough and district council votes will take place during the day on Friday, with counting of the town and parish council votes to take place on Sunday.

The results will be announced publicly, by the borough or district council – and on the Herald and Post websites.