IT'S not too late for people to vote in today's local council elections, even if they have not sent their postal ballot forms.

Councils will still accept them today if they are handed in before deadlines at designated places.

Chester-le-Street and Derwentside District Councils are piloting postal and electronic voting in partnership with Weardale District Council.

Voters who have not already put their ballot papers in the post, can drop them off at any point within the three districts before 4pm.

The collection points are: Civic Centre, Consett; Stanley Council Offices, Front Street; Lanchester District Office; Civic Centre, Chester-le-Street; Civic Centre, Crook; Council Offices, Bishop Auckland; Tourist Information Centre, Stanhope, Weardale; and Neighbourhood office, Langley Park.

In Gateshead, ballot forms must be handed in before 7pm at the following libraries: Gateshead Central, Crawcrook, Ryton, Chopwell, Rowlands Gill, Winlaton, Whickham, Dunston, Felling, Pelaw and Leam Lane; and the following housing offices: Low Fell and Wrekenton, the council offices in Blaydon and Birtley and Gateshead Civic Centre.

In Sunderland, there are ten designated drop-off points where forms should be handed in before 5pm. They are: City Library and Arts Centre, Fawcett Street; Civic Centre, Burdon Road; Doxford Park Library, Mill Hill Road; Fulwell Library, Dene Lane; Hendon Library and Learning Centre, Toward Road; Houghton Library and Learning Centre, Houghton-le-Spring; Kayll Road Library, Kayll Road; Sandhill View Learning Centre and Library, Grindon Lane; Southwick Library, Beaumont Street; Washington Town Centre Library, The Galleries.

In South Tyneside, postal votes can be handed in at South Shields Town Hall; Horsley Hill Housing Office; Jarrow Town Hall; Landreth House; Hebburn Civic Centre; and East Boldon Library.

In the District of Easington, where there is a mix of postal voting and traditional polling, the deadline for posting was on April 23, but polling stations will remain open until 9pm.