We've taken a look at your most common questions about polling day, if you're just joining us here's a brief reminder of what you need to know.

What elections are taking place, and where?

Voters are heading to the polls to elect councillors in 23 parts of England, in addition to one by-election and six mayoral contests. We have a full breakdown of where elections are taking place.

When does voting start and end?

Polls opened bright and early at 07:00 BST this morning, and will close at 22:00.

Where is my nearest polling station?

To find your nearest polling station, you can make use of the BBC's handy postcode tool to see if there's an election in your area and where to vote.

What do I need to take to the polling station?

You will need your polling card and ID, we've got the general dos and don'ts inside the polling station.

Our news desk will be staffed through the night and into tomorrow morning as we will look to bring you the results from each of the local elections as soon as we get them.

As a reminder, polls remain open today until 22:00 BST.

When voting ends for the day, polling guru Professor Sir John Curtice will be sharing his expertise with us.

We will also have coverage from BBC News reporters stationed at counts across England. You'll be able to check the results in your area with our postcode lookup tool.

From 23:10 BST, Laura Kuenssberg will host an Elections 2025 Special on BBC One, with political editor Chris Mason and correspondent Damian Grammaticas reporting from the count for the by-election in Runcorn and Helsby.

We'll also be providing results on local radio tonight - while a special edition of Newscast hosted by Adam Fleming and Chris Mason will also be available on BBC Sounds from 07:00 BST on Friday.

For more details on how we plan to cover the results head to our article.

Image source, PA Media

Typically, voters today might fill in their ballot in a church hall, a school building or a community centre.

That's not the case for some in Cambridge, who might come across a more unusual venue - like this caravan which is being used in Whitehall Gardens.

The Electoral Commission says polling stations need to meet certain criteria - including having a space large enough to enable a "clear flow of voters" and ensuring accessibility.

Other necessary equipment includes appropriate lighting, tactile voting devices, and chairs.

Image source, EPA

Today's by-election in Runcorn and Helsby is the first since the general election in July last year.

It was triggered by the resignation of former MP Mike Amesbury, who stood down following an assault charge in March.

A total of 15 candidates are standing to replace him.

Here they are in alphabetical order:

• Catherine Anne Blaiklock (English Democrats)
• Dan Clarke (Liberal Party)
• Chris Copeman (Green Party)
• Paul Duffy (Liberal Democrats)
• Peter Ford (Workers Party)
• Howling Laud Hope (Monster Raving Loony Party)
• Sean Houlston (Conservatives)
• Jason Philip Hughes (Volt UK)
• Alan McKie (independent)
• Graham Harry Moore (English Constitution Party)
• Paul Andrew Murphy (Social Democratic Party)
• Sarah Pochin (Reform)
• Karen Shore (Labour)
• John Stevens (Rejoin EU)
• Michael Williams (independent)

An earlier version of this post omitted the name of one of the candidates. The list of candidates has now been amended and his name added to reflect he's standing for election

Detailed BBC election guidelines are written and published for each election, setting out the approach it has to take on polling day.

The BBC, like other broadcasters, is not allowed to report details of campaigning or local election issues on TV, radio or online on polling day until 22:00 BST, when voting closes.

While polls are open, it is a criminal offence to report any exit polls, which aim to predict election results on the basis of surveys of how people say they have voted.

References to the local elections on the day are normally restricted to uncontroversial factual accounts, such as the appearance of politicians at polling stations, the weather, or practical information about how to vote.

Once the polls have closed at 22:00, the election guidelines no longer apply.

However, the BBC must still report the results with the impartiality required both by Ofcom and the BBC's own Editorial Guidelines.

In what has become something of a tradition, dogs are posing outside polling stations - it's almost like they've become familiar with having a picture taken next to the large black and white signs.

Here's a selection of some of your pooches making the most of their time in the limelight.

Keep sending your pictures into us, here's how to get in touch.

Image source, Amelia Halls

Image source, Michael Clarke

Image source, James Moloney

Image source, Amanda Vidler

In total, six mayors will be chosen by voters in these local elections.

Two regions are electing "single authority mayors" and four are choosing "metro mayors" - but what do they do?

A single authority mayor leads the council and they are responsible for delivering local council services. In this election, voters in Doncaster and North Tyneside will elect this type of mayor.

A metro mayor leads combined authorities, which include a group of several local councils. They set out plans to boost their local economy, and have some powers over housing and transport. They're being elected in West of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Greater Lincolnshire, and Hull and East Yorkshire.

Our Political Editor Chris Mason says directly elected mayors have become a fashionable new thing in England.

According to the Local Government Association, councillors "provide a bridge between the community and the council".

They’re elected for four-year terms to represent a certain local area, known as a ward. Councillors aren’t paid a salary - but they are entitled to an "allowance" and expenses.

Their role largely includes:

• Casework - responding to queries from locals
• Working with communities and organisations to shape the future of the area
• Communicating council decisions

Matt Spivey
Live editor

Dogs at polling stations. I repeat, dogs at polling stations.

Three hours after polls opened in pockets of England, we're getting our first batch of images showing your pets waiting patiently while you cast your votes.

For some, it's a notably early morning - like Maxi the Jack Russell who couldn't contain his yawn.

As a reminder, you can get in touch to share your images from polling stations via WhatsApp on +44 7756 165803.

Image source, Calum Brown

Image source, Dan Q.

Image source, Ian Norman

The deadline to vote by post or by proxy have passed - which means the vast majority of those eligible to vote will need to do so in-person today.

If you are unable to vote in person as planned due to unforeseen circumstances then you can apply for an emergency proxy up until 17:00 BST on polling day.

You must already be on the electoral roll and your proxy - the person nominated to vote on your behalf - must also be registered to vote.

To apply, or to find out further information, contact your local council's electoral services team.

To vote in local elections you must be:

• Aged 18 or over
• Registered at an address in the area where you want to vote
• A British or Irish citizen
• An eligible Commonwealth citizen
• A qualifying EU citizen - the rules vary according to which country you are from, external

EU citizens cannot vote in the Runcorn and Helsby parliamentary by-election.

As voters in parts of England take to the polls to elect councillors and mayors, we've answered the three essential questions about the local elections:

What are the elections for? Elections are taking place in 23 councils across England, in addition to one by-election and six mayoral contests.

When does voting start and end? Polls opened at 07:00 BST and will close at 22:00 BST. Find your polling station., external

Where are polling stations? Use our postcode lookup tool to see if there’s a vote in your area. Or check out the map below for a broader look at where they’re happening.

For a more detailed look at the local elections and how they work, refer to our guide.

It's bright and early in England, and some voters are heading to polling stations to have their say in local elections.

Here's a snapshot of the pictures we've seen in parts of England this morning.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, EPA

Image source, Joe Berry/BBC

One of our favourite parts of polling day here at BBC News is getting a glimpse at the companions you bring with you to cast your vote.

Dogs are often the most common animal spotted at polling stations, but last year we saw Neptune the snake slither along with one voter to a polling station in Dorset.

Throughout today, we'll be asking you to send us more pictures of your companions - furry or not - as votes are cast in the local elections.

Remember, though, you can't take any photos inside your polling station - only outside. We went through some general do's and don'ts while voting a little earlier.

For information on how to get in touch with us, head to our previous post.

Image source, Reuters

What's the scene at your polling station? Have you taken your pet with you to vote?

Get in touch in the following ways and let us know:

• Upload your pictures and video
• Send us a WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803 , external
• Email bbcyourvoice@bbc.co.uk

Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy.

In some cases a selection of your comments and questions will be published, displaying your name and location as you provide it unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published.

If you are eligible to vote today, casting your vote in person should be a fairly quick process.

However, while you are in the polling station there are certain rules you need to follow.

You can:

• Use your own pen or pencil to mark your ballot paper
• Wear clothing with political slogans
• Take your children with you, but they are not allowed to mark your ballot paper
• Vote if you have been drinking as long as you are not disruptive

You can't:

• Vote at a different polling station to the one on your polling card
• Take photos inside the polling station
• Show anyone your marked ballot paper or tell anyone inside the polling station how you have voted
• Discuss candidates or campaign for any party while inside
• Take your pets into the polling station, although dogs are sometimes admitted

You can read more on this in our explainer.

Image source, PA Media

First, you need to be registered before you can vote. If you’re not sure whether you are, you can check here, external.

Head to your local polling station - find it here - and don't forget to bring photo ID. More than 20 forms of ID will be accepted,, external including:

• Passports
• Driving licences
• Older or Disabled Person's bus passes
• Oyster 60+ cards
• Armed Forces Veteran Cards (from 1 May)

In some areas, you might get several ballot papers for different elections, such as voting for your council and mayor.

Staff at the polling stations are there to help. They’ll give you your ballot papers, mark the registers and make sure you know what to do.

Image source, Getty Images

Polling stations have just opened for the day.

Voters in parts of England - listed in our earlier post - will now have until 22:00 BST to vote for more than 1,600 councillors and six mayors, as well as for an MP in a by-election in the Cheshire seat of Runcorn and Helsby.

As a reminder, you can use our tool to find out if there is an election in your area.

Different types of councils are responsible for a variety of services, including:

• Collecting rubbish and recycling
• Fixing potholes on some roads
• Planning applications
• Providing care for the elderly and disabled
• Housing
• Education

Local councils are partly funded by central government but they can also raise their own revenue through council tax, a compulsory charge on properties set by the local council, and business rates - a tax put on properties used for commercial purposes.

We said in our last post that today's elections were taking place across a variety of councils - including 14 county councils and eight unitary authorities - here's a look at what that means:

Around a third of voters in England are getting the chance to have their say in these elections, and more than 1,600 councillors will be elected.

All the seats will be contested in:

• 14 county councils: Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire, Devon, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire
• Eight unitary authorities: Buckinghamshire, Cornwall, County Durham, North Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Shropshire, West Northamptonshire and Wiltshire
• One metropolitan district: Doncaster

And six areas will be voting for a directly-elected mayor: the West of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, North Tyneside, Doncaster and - for the first time - both Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire.

We’ve also got a Westminster by-election in Runcorn and Helsby.

In addition, more than a thousand parish councils and the Isles of Scilly are holding elections.