Going to the polls

Voters going to a polling station on Thursday 2 May are reminded that they will again need to show photo ID.

Sunderland holds elections by 'thirds' for its 75 councillors. Therefore, one seat of the three in each of the city's 25 wards is up for election and 25 councillors are due to be elected.

May is the fifth time that voters in Sunderland have gone to the polls alongside voters in Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland and South Tyneside to choose a Police and Crime Commissioner. The first commissioner election was held in November 2012.

And May is the first time that voters in Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland will choose a directly elected regional mayor for the new North East Mayoral Combined Authority (NEMCA). The authority, which has been created as part of the region's devolution deal with Government, formally begins after the election.

Sunderland will be the returning centre for the Police and Crime Commissioner and the mayoral election. The results of both are due to be announced from the Silksworth count centre on Friday 3 May.