Image source, Phoebe

In case you've missed the best of the #dogsatpollingstations so far today, we have a round-up of democracy's most faithful friends.

Image source, Getty Images

Five areas across England are part of a trial where voters need to bring identification.

The pilot scheme, taking place in Bromley, Gosport, Swindon, Watford and Woking, is designed to prevent election fraud.

Ministers say it brings the UK into line with many other countries, and voter ID has been required in Northern Ireland since 1985.

However, critics say the instances of people impersonating someone else at a polling station are incredibly rare and it is a case of using “a sledgehammer to crack a nut".

There have been some reports of issues in Bromley, where a local politician claimed at least five residents have been turned away for not bringing ID.

But the issue is not though to be widespread, with a presiding officer in the area saying "only a very small percentage" of voters had forgotten or were unable to provide ID.

There is a long night ahead for council candidates as they await to find out their fate.

But there will be hundreds of determined counters also spread across the country to help make sure those results get out on time.

And, of course, the political nerds like us who will be tuning in to watch the election coverage.

So here are a few tips for the volunteers, the fans and, OK, and the journalists who are gearing up for the night shift.

• Have a short sleep before your shift starts - it will give you that boost of energy
• Keep the lights bright - unlikely to be a problem in sports halls up and down England
• Eat the right food - the temptation may be to stock up on treats, like sweets and chocolate, or to hit the caffeine hard, but lots of fresh fruit and plenty of water helps to keep you more alert

It isn't just community halls welcoming voters across England today, with a number of more unique venues opening their doors for democracy.

We have heard about a hairdresser's in Hull, external and a beautiful church in Jesmon, external, offering slightly different surroundings.

But it has to be the children's play centre, The Pirate Castle, in Camden, that gets our vote for the most fun.

Image source, Getty Images

Changes to voting cycles and boundaries make it pretty hard for the pollsters to give an exact figure on how many seats each party is defending, as they may well have changed since the last election.

The BBC and other broadcasters use 'notional' baselines to estimate how many seats each party would have won if the new boundaries had been in place at previous elections.

You can read more about how they work it out here.

But for now, here are the figures they came up with...

• Labour 2,278
• Conservative 1,365
• Liberal Democrats 462
• UKIP 126
• Green 31
• Residents Associations 48
• Independent/Other 100

TOTAL 4,410

Whilst the dog-lovers are enjoying taking their pooches for a selfie at the polling stations, cat owners are claiming superiority by staying at home with their postal votes.

Welcome the new hashtag, #catsnotatpollingstations...

And even Downing Street's most famous moggy had his two cents to throw in...

The variety of councils across the country can leave a little - or a lot - of confusion regarding who is in charge of what.

Let's see if we can clear it up a little...

The county council - let's use Lincolnshire as an example - controls the most expensive services, like education, public transport, policing and fire services.

Other services, such as setting and collecting council tax, bin collections, local planning and council housing, are then run by district councils - in the case of Lincolnshire, these include Boston Borough Council, the City of Lincoln Council and North Kesteven Council.

Then there are unitary authorities. These councils, such as Bristol City Council or the City of York Council, are mainly in the cities, urban areas and larger towns and are responsible for providing all the services that the district and county councils would provide.

Metropolitan district councils are more similar to unitary authorities in terms of the services they look after, but typically sit in built-up city areas, whilst UAs are usually made up of smaller towns and the less urbanised areas surrounding them.

London boroughs are more similar to districts. They organise social services, bin collections and local parks, while the Greater London Authority (GLA), headed up by the Mayor of London, is responsible for policing, fire, and transport services.

The responsibility for housing and road maintenance is shared by the boroughs and the GLA.

Mayoral elections are taking place in Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Watford and South Yorkshire.

But what is the difference when it comes to mayors?

Well, it isn't all about gold chains for a start - that tends to be for ceremonial mayors.

A directly-elected council mayor is the political leader of a council with overall responsibility for the delivery of services.

Councils do not have to have one - it is decided by the authority themselves, often after a referendum.

But if they don't, a council leader will be appointed from the elected councillors.

The new 'metro mayors' - or combined authority mayors - are different.

London has had one since 2000 and six other areas, including Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham, elected mayors for the first time last year.

Today it is the turn of the Sheffield City Region to elect a mayor.

Each mayor's responsibilities differ, but the website for the Sheffield City Region, external combined authority says they will "be an ambassador for the area; promoting it as a place to live, work, visit and invest in."

Image source, Getty Images

Political geeks love an acronym, whether they are heading to the HoC, calling for AV or tackling issues at the DWP.

But today, there are a few key acronyms you will need to know to pick your party at the polling station.

CON: Conservative

LAB: Labour

LD: Liberal Democrats

UKIP: United Kingdom Independence Party

GRN: Green Party

ICHC: Independent Community and Health Concern

BNP: British National Party

RA: Residents Association

IND: Independent

OTH: Others - people representing minor parties not covered by any of the labels above

And when the results come in, this one might come in handy...

NOC: No overall control - no one party has a majority of seats on the council. Also referred to as a "Hung Council"

Image source, Thinkstock

What happens behind the doors of the polling station? Do I need ID to vote this time?

Our guide to how to cast your votes in these local elections, here.

A reminder that voters will need to prove who they are at polling stations in Swindon, Woking, Watford, Gosport and Bromley.

All five areas are running pilot schemes, the details of which can be found here on the UK government website, external.

Elsewhere, though, it is business as usual - with people able to vote without the need to present a form of identity.

Image source, PA

The Daily Politics

Polling stations are open until 22:00 BST on Thursday for voting in local elections across England, and in the West Tyrone by-election for a new MP.

Daily Politics reporter Elizabeth Glinka has a guide to the timings of some of the key results, which will come in overnight on Thursday and through Friday.

Image source, Getty Images

Can I vote if I've been drinking? Do I have to show my face? Are you allowed to take a selfie?

All the questions, well, nearly all, on what you can and cannot do in a polling station, answered here.

Here's a handy tool, external for finding out where your polling station is, should you not be sure.

Political news is quieter than usual on polling day.

That's because the BBC, like other broadcasters, isn't allowed to report details of campaigning while the polls are open.

The blackout stretches from 00:30 to 22:00 BST, when the polls close.

The BBC's chief adviser on editorial standards Ric Bailey sets out why.