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On Thursday 15 November 2012 new elections are taking place in England and Wales (excluding London).

On this date you will be asked to choose a Police and Crime Commissioner for your local police force.

Who is standing for election?

The elections will happen in 41 police force areas in England and Wales (excluding London). To find out who is standing for election in your area and see information from candidates, visit www.choosemypcc.org.uk. Or you can call 0800 1 07 07 08 to order printed information about your candidates.

Voting system

For this election you can vote for a first and second choice of who you want to win. Victor can show you how.

Youtube video

The video is owned by the Electoral Commission and may be shared by others only in its entirety and without amends or manipulation. Use only the embed code provided for the full version of the video – this video must not be shared in part.

For more information on the voting system in these elections visit our voting system page.

Role of PCCs

The Police and Crime Commissioner will be responsible for holding the Chief Constable and police force to account on the public's behalf. The Police and Crime Commissioner will oversee how crime is tackled in their area and aim to make sure the police are providing a good service.

The Police and Crime Commissioner role includes:

meeting the public regularly to listen to their views on policing
producing a police and crime plan setting out local policing priorities
deciding how the budget will be spent
appointing Chief Constables and dismissing them if needed.

Information booklet

In late October, every household in England and Wales (excluding London) will receive a booklet explaining more about these elections and how to fill in your ballot paper. You can also download the information booklet here. or visit our Information booklet page.

Information booklet – Alternative formats and translations

Alternative formats and translations can be found on our Information booklet page.

Register to vote

You must be registered in order to vote. The registration deadline for these elections is 31 October 2012.

More info and links here