VOTERS are urged to make their mark today and select the next Police and Crime and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire.

The role was introduced in 2012 as an alternative to the Police Authorities, and aims to hold the Chief Constable to account and represent an elected individual for communities to voice their local priorities to.

Turnout for the 2012 election was low, with just 14.32 per cent of North Yorkshire's almost 600,000 voters taking part.

Conservative candidate Julia Mulligan was elected to the role, and is standing again as a candidate, with competition from Labour's Steve Howley, Liberal Democrat James Blanchard, and Independent Mike Pannett.

This year will see 744 polling stations open around the county for the election, and the counting of the votes will take place tomorrow, overseen by Ryedale District Council, with the successful candidate expected to be announced by Friday night.

Janet Waggott is the Police Area Returning Officer for North Yorkshire and Chief Executive at Ryedale Council, and urged anyone who is registered to vote to have their say.

She said: "I hope to see many people turn out on polling day. Over 600,000 people are registered to vote across North Yorkshire and I would like to remind people to check the details on their polling card outlining where their polling station is.

"Polling stations are open from 7am-10pm across the county and anyone who has already registered for a postal vote but not sent it can drop their postal vote into any polling station within their local council area before 10pm on polling day."

More information on the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections is available at ryedale.gov.uk/pages/voting-elections/police-and-crime-commissioner-election-2016 or at choosemypcc.org.uk

The Press spoke to all four candidates to get their views on a number of issues surrounding the role. To read the article, go to thepress.co.uk and search "pcc candidates".