Polls have now opened for the Local Elections 2024

If you live in Darlington, Stockton, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland you will be voting in the Tees Valley mayoral election.

If you live in Sunderland, Gateshead, Newcastle, South Tyneside, North Tyneside, Durham or Northumberland you will be voting in the North East mayoral election.

Or if you live in York or North Yorkshire you will be voting in the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire election.

It will be a chance to take part in selecting the first ever combined authority mayors in the North East and North Yorkshire.

There will also be a number of smaller council elections dotting the region including Hartlepool, Sunderland, Gateshead, South Tyneside, North Tyneside and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Here are the things we think you should know heading into polling day.

Voting rules:

Registered voters will have to produce photo IDs to cast their ballots in the local elections.

This also applies to Police and Crime Commissioner elections, UK parliamentary by-elections, and recall petitions. Photo ID will also be required for general elections.

Valid forms of photo ID include:

– Passport
– Driving licences (both full and provisional)
– Blue badges
– Older person’s bus pass
– Disabled person’s bus pass
– Identity card bearing the proof of age standard scheme hologram

At the polling station:

You can find your polling station on the Electoral Commission‘s website. It is important to check with your polling station as it may not necessarily be the closest one to where you live. Polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm. As long as you’re in the queue at 10pm you’ll be allowed in to cast your vote.

Your polling station will be on your polling card. If you still have not received your polling card get in touch with the electoral services of your local council.

Mayoral Election candidates:

Tees Valley Mayoral Election

Ben Houchen - Conservative Party

Chris McEwan - Labour Party

Simon Thorley - Liberal Democrat Party

North East Mayoral Election

Kim McGuinness - Labour Party

Jamie Driscoll  - Independent

Guy Renner-Thompson - Conservative Party

Andrew Gray - Green Party

Aidan John King - Liberal Democrat Party

Paul Donaghy - Reform Party

North Yorkshire Mayoral Election

David Skaith - Labour and Co-operative Party

Keane Charles Duncan - Conservative and Unionist Party

Felicity Clare Cunliffe-Lister - Liberal Democrat Party

Kevin Foster - Green Party

Paul Haslam - Independent

Keith Graham Tordoff - Independent

Seats up for grabs at the Local Council Elections:

Hartlepool Council 

7 Conservative seats

2 Labour seats

3 Independent seats

Sunderland Council

6 Conservative seats

12 Labour seats

4 Liberal Democrat seats

2 Independent seats

1 Reform seat

Gateshead Council

17 Labour seats

5 Liberal Democrat seats

South Tyneside Council

1 Conservative seat

14 Labour seats

2 Green seats

1 Independent seat

Newcastle upon Tyne Council

18 Labour seats

6 Liberal Democrat seats

2 Independent seats

North Tyneside Council

6 Conservative seats

48 Labour seats

6 Independent seats