Local Elections are being held tomorrow, (Thursday 3rd May) and it is where you, the voter, can choose a candidate, or candidates in your local area, (which is why they are called local elections).

In all probability you will be able to vote for two types of candidates. Your county councillor, the person who will represent your area at Monmouthshire County Council, and your town (or community, if you live in the countryside) councillor.

With the candidates for the county elections, you will only have to choose one person out of a number of names on the ballot paper given to you that day.

For example, in the Dixton with Osbaston ward there are six candidates, but only one seat, so only put a cross in the box next to the candidate – or possibly the party – that you would like to see win.

If you have never heard of the independent party before, it's because that particular candidate is not representing, or guided by, any of the main parties.

Town, or community elections are a different kettle of fish and somewhat more confusing than a straightforward vote for your first choice.

Take the Drybridge ward for example. There are eight candidates, but only three seats on the town council. That means you have the opportunity to choose three of the names before you on the ballot paper, putting a cross in the boxes next to the names of the people you would like to see as your local councillors.

You may recognise some of the names as they may have already been a councillor up until very recently, but each candidate is now on a level footing and all are hoping you will vote for them.

The more votes they get, the more likely they will be representing you for the next five years.

You know if you are eligible to vote as you would have had a polling card sent about a month ago. This will tell you when to vote, and where.

Take your card with you to the polling station and they will give you a ballot paper, or two if you have town and county candidates to choose from, and then make your mark.

You may have opted for a postal vote and will now already have a ballot paper, fill it in carefully and then either post it back, or take it to the polling station and hand it to the Presiding Officer there.

Some of you may have already been notified by post that there is no election in your area. This is because the number of candidates is the same, or less than the number of seats in your ward.

For example if you live in Skenfrith, you will not be voting at all as your county councillor, Ruth Edwards, had no competition, so is automatically re-elected, and your community council has less candidates than seats.

If you are unsure, go the the Monmouthshire County Council website and click in the election banner, or go here, same place.

All of Monmouth's county and town council seats are being contested so you will have a lot of power to your pencil this week, so use the force wisely.

Monmouthshire County Council are ready for the election count

County council and town and community council elections will take place across Wales (with the exception of Anglesey) tomorrow (Thursday 3rd May).

The 78 polling stations across Monmouthshire will open at 7am and close at 10pm.

Counting for the county council elections will take place overnight at Chepstow Leisure Centre, with the first results expected by 1.30am and the last ones by 6am.

Counting for the town and community council elections will take place on the afternoon of Friday 4th May.

Paul Matthews, Monmouthshire County Council's returning officer, said: "Our staff have done an excellent job preparing for these elections.

"It will be the first set of elections to be held following the closure of County Hall, but I know that we will manage them with the same high level of professionalism and competence as before.

"It's a real milestone for our county to actually have the election results counted and announced in Monmouthshire and I'm looking forward to a busy election day and night."

78 polling stations across the county will be staffed by a total of 190 people serving an electorate of 61,722. 

Voters have already been informed which polling station to use.  The largest will serve up to 2,440 voters, the smallest 88 voters.  There will be 48 people counting the votes, with eight count supervisors.

People can follow the progress of the count via a special web page –

electionresults.

The council will also feed results via its Twitter feed @monmouthshirecc and there will be full coverage of the election winners and losers in next week's Beacon.