FOR the first time since the General Election the electorate of Stroud will today dust off the polling cards and head to the ballot boxes to vote.

With all 51 district council seats up for election in 27 wards for the first time since 2002, the hotly contested vote will determine the political landscape of the district for years to come.

Elections for Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner and the town and parish councils also take place today.

Here's everything you need to know.

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  • Did you register to vote? 

If you did, you should have been sent a polling card in the post. Contact your Stroud District Council to check if you think you should have received one and haven’t.

The number is 01453 754886 or email elections@stroud.gov.uk

  • What time are polling stations open? 

Polling stations are open between 7am and 10pm on Thursday May 5.

  • Who is standing in my ward? 

The SNJ has compiled profiles of every district council candidate standing in all 27 wards. Follow the links to find out who is standing in your ward.

  • Where do I vote? Where is my nearest polling station?

There are dozens of polling stations across the district. The location of your polling station will be written on your polling card.

If you've lost it, don't worry. You can find out where you have to go by contacting your local election office.

Stroud district Council have also created an interactive map on their website. Follow this link to find your nearest station.

Stroud News and Journal:

To use the map, simply enter your postcode or street and click on the map to select your property.

When you click on your property, it will provide you with the details of your nearest polling station.

  • Can I vote without my polling card?

Yes. You don't need to take your polling card with you to vote - it might speed the process up a little, but you can vote without it.

  • What do I do when I get to the polling station?

When you arrive at the polling station, there will be people sitting at a desk with a copy of the electoral register.

If you have it with you, you can give them your polling card. Otherwise you can just give them your name and address and they'll check it against the list.

Police and Crime Commissioner - PCC elections run via the supplementary vote system in which voters have two columns to make a first and second choice.

District council elections - this election uses the traditional ‘first past the post’ system. Depending on how many people are standing in your ward you either vote for one, two or three candidates.

Voters make one choice between the parties by marking an X, not voting in order of preference.

Town and parish councils - these elections also uses the traditional ‘first past the post’ system.

  • Police and Crime Commissioner election

This vote is taken by residents of Gloucestershire, not just Stroud.

Independent candidate ad incumbent PCC Martin Surl is going up against Labour candidate Barry Kirby, and Conservative challenger Will Windsor-Clive.

The SNJ has interviewed each of the three candidates over the last few weeks.

Follow the links on their names to view these interviews.

The role of the PCCs is to be the voice of the people and hold the police to account. They are responsible for the totality of policing. PCCs aim to cut crime and deliver an effective and efficient police service within their force area.

PCCs have been elected by the public to hold Chief Constables and the force to account, effectively making the police answerable to the communities they serve.

  • When will the results be declared?

Counting will take place throughout Friday with the majority of results declared on the day.

The SNJ will be running a live blog all day from the election count tomorrow.

See www.stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk to stay up to date on all the results.