Candidates announced for Police and Crime Commissioner election

The deadline for nominations closed at 4pm. The candidates are Vera Baird, Labour, Newcastle; Stewart Thomas Hay, Conservative, Whitley Bay; Melanie Hurst, Ukip, Stocksfield; and Jonathan Charles Wallace, Liberal Democrat, Sunniside, Newcastle.

It is the second time that voters in the Northumbria Police force area have gone to the polls for a commissioner. The first commissioner election was held in November 2012.

The election is being held as voters across the area also go to the polls for local government elections in Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, which is also holding a Mayoral Referendum; South Tyneside and Sunderland. In Northumberland, voters have a stand-alone election for the police commissioner.

There are 1,035,492) registered electors in the Northumbria Police area, including 323,155 postal voters.

Polling day is Thursday, May 5, and the result will be announced in Sunderland the following day.

Anyone who has not yet registered to vote should contact their council's electoral services team immediately or apply online at www.gov.uk/register-to-voteThe deadline to register to vote for the May police and local elections is Monday, April 18.

The Northumbria Police area returning officer Sue Stanhope said: "If you want to vote at the local elections or the Police and Crime Commissioner election and are not already on the Electoral Register, you have until Monday, April 18, to apply."