Local council election candidates 2022: how to find out who is standing in your area - and where to vote

Voters across the four nations will be heading to the polls for the local elections on Thursday 5 May.

Most of the seats up for election were last contested in 2018 with much having changed since then from Brexit to a new Prime Minister.

However, issues that can decide local elections such as when bins are collected, state of public services and community parks, remain the same.

There are a whole host of seats up for grabs across the UK including for local authorities, local mayors, and some county councils.

Here we explain how you can find out what candidates are standing in your local area.

How do I find out who is standing in my local area?

There are two main ways to find out your local candidates for election.

The first way to find out is by simply checking your polling card, which will show what you are voting for.

But, if you don’t want to wait for the post to come through, you can head to the Electoral Commission website.

The website details where you need to go on Election Day to vote - and it also gives you a rundown of the candidates standing in your local area.

The Democracy Club also has an online checker called “Who Can I Vote For?” which lists candidates standing in your area.

By entering your postcode it will show you the full list of candidates you can vote for on polling day, with a brief guide to each of the individuals.

What seats are up for grabs?

Voters will head to the polls on 5 May in elections to elect:

• Every local authority in Scotland, Wales and London.
• South Yorkshire’s regional mayor plus the borough councils of Barnsley and Sheffield.
• 60 district councils, 31 Metropolitan boroughs and 19 unitary authorities across the rest of England.
• County councils in North Yorkshire and Somerset.
• All 90 seats in the Northern Ireland assembly.
• Local mayors in Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Watford.
• Bristol referendum on abolishing elected mayor

The deadline for registering to vote has already passed in all four nations, as well as the deadline to submit a postal or proxy vote.

Where is my polling station?

Your polling station is likely to be a public building such as a school or community hall close to your address.

It will be included on the polling card sent to you in the post.

If you have misplaced or not received your card, you can check on the Electoral Commission website by entering your postcode.

If the website does not have the details of your polling station, it will have your local council contacts that you can get in touch with if you need to double check.

You don’t need to take your polling card with you to the polling station.

When you arrive you will be given a ballot paper listing the parties and candidates you can vote for.