Your guide to voting in Wales' local council elections
Wales heads to the polls on the 4th of May 2017 to vote in the local council elections.
Over 3,400 candidates are competing for around 1,200 seats on Wales' 22 county and county borough councils.
How to vote?
If registered to vote you will have been sent a poll card before hand, telling you where and when to vote.
Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm on the day of the election.
At your designated polling station, you will receive a ballot paper listing all the candidates standing to be a councillor in your area.
You take your ballot paper into the booth and follow the instructions on the top of the page.
Local government elections use the first-past-the-post system.
Once finished you place your ballot inside the ballot box.
Why are the local elections important?
Councils operate a number of services at local level and are responsible for the following:
Education services
Electoral registration
Council housing
Waste and recycling
Environmental health
Leisure and recreation facilities
Libraries
Local transport
Local planning
Parks and public places
Regulation of local business
Roads and footpaths
Social services
Setting rates of council tax
It's also the job of elected councillors to represent you at a local level.