Polling stations across the North of Ireland have opened their doors to allow for ballots in the local government elections.
Voters will choose 462 councillors across 11 councils where 807 candidates are in contention until stations close this evening at 10pm.
The 11 local councils are responsible for a number of services, including waste collection, street cleaning, local planning, leisure services, cemeteries and parks.
Those wishing to cast a ballot will require photographic ID, including either a passport, driving licence (provisional accepted) bus passes and travel passes, while an Irish passport card is also accepted.
Thursday’s voting uses the single transferable vote (STV) method meaning the ballot will require you to rank candidates in order of preference using numbers – beginning with ‘1’ and then ‘2’ and so on.
However, you can vote for as many or as few candidates as you like.
Party leaders are set to make appearances at polling stations to cast their ballots throughout the day.
The DUP is currently the largest party in local government with 122 councillors and is running 152 candidates this time.
Sinn Fein who will be hoping replicate their assembly election results from last year are fielding 162 candidates.
Alliance is running 110 candidates across the 11 council areas while the Ulster Unionist Party is running 101 candidates.
The nationalist SDLP is running 86 candidates in this election and the TUV has 46 candidates.
The Green Party has 37, Aontu has 19 and People Before Profit has 16 while a number of smaller parties and independent candidates will also contest the election.
Counting begins on Friday morning and is expected to last into Saturday afternoon.
Foyle Arena in Derry will the count centre for candidates vying for seats in the Derry City and Strabane District Council electoral area.
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