Guide to West Yorkshire mayoral elections
Live coverage from BBC News
- Published
The race to become the mayor of West Yorkshire has started.
Voters will head to the polls on Thursday 2 May to elect a candidate to represent the region, which is home to more than two million people.
The poll has been timed to coincide with local elections, which are also taking place in all five of the local authority areas across West Yorkshire.
It is the second time the region has had a mayoral election, with the first having taken place in 2021.
What is the role of the mayor?
In West Yorkshire, the office of the elected mayor was created in 2021 following a devolution deal agreed between the area's five local councils and the government.
That agreement gives the mayor powers over areas such as public transport decisions, housing and adult skills.
This year marks West Yorkshire's second mayoral election, following the first in 2021
As part of the 2021 deal, the mayor also inherited the office of the West Yorkshire police and crime commissioner, which holds the area's police force to account.
The mayor is able to delegate responsibility for policing to a deputy mayor, who can be appointed rather than elected.
Who can vote?
Anyone aged 18 or over living in West Yorkshire is eligible, provided they are registered to vote.
On polling day, voters will be given at least two ballot papers to cross - one for the mayoral election and the other for the local elections.
The deadline to register to vote is Tuesday 16 April.
Votes will be counted on Saturday 4 May, two days after the polls close
Who is standing?
When will we know the result?
The counting of the votes for the mayoral election will take place in Leeds on Saturday 4 May, after the local election results have been declared.
Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, external, X (formerly Twitter), external, and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk.