Voters are heading to the polls today as local government in North Yorkshire faces its biggest change in almost 50 years.
A total of 310 candidates are competing for 90 seats on a new unitary authority which will provide all council services in the county from April 2023.
The new North Yorkshire Council will replace the existing county, district and borough councils which have served the county since the last reorganisation in 1974.
Those elected will serve on North Yorkshire County Council for its final year and then a further four years on the new unitary authority.
Polling stations are open today (Thursday, 5 May) between 7am and 10pm – and the results will be announced tomorrow.
The results will be announced from count locations across the seven districts including Harrogate, Selby, Scarborough, Hambleton, Richmondshire, Craven and Ryedale.
The verification of votes at each location will start at approximately 9am, followed by the counting of votes around 11am.
The results will then be announced on a division-by-division basis.
This is expected to happen over lunchtime and into the afternoon.
City of York Council is unaffected by the shake-up. York will next go to the polls in May 2023.
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