On Thursday, 1 May, the residents of Lincolnshire are due to cast their vote in a significant election, which will determine both the region’s inaugural Mayor and the 70-strong County Council. The voting process is set to conclude by 10pm, signalling the start of a marathon overnight count, expected to hold the local community in suspense.
The results of the Mayoral contest are forecasted to be the first to be announced, likely in the early hours of Friday, with the outcomes for the County Council seats expected to follow throughout the day. Local Democracy Reporters for Greater Lincolnshire will provide real-time updates both overnight and into the next day, which can be accessed on Twitter.
Once 10pm strikes, local authorities will begin validating and counting the votes for the Mayoral election, a process typically carried out in local sports centres by a team of devoted volunteers. The North East Lincolnshire Council is at the helm of the Mayoral election logistics, planning to accumulate results at Grimsby Town Hall. Announcement of the results is slated for approximately 3am, however, hotly contested races could potentially cause delays.
The focus will then transfer to the County Council elections, with anticipated results for Lincoln, East Lindsey, South Holland, and Boston between the hours of 3am and 5am. The present Council is composed of 53 Conservatives, four Labour, four Independents, among others, thus making an immediate determination of council control improbable unless there’s a considerable shift in public opinion.
The count is set to recommence on Friday morning in North Kesteven, South Kesteven, and West Lindsey, with final results predicted by 3pm. Despite the possibility of the overall outcome becoming clear before all seats are declared, a closely contested race could leave the final council composition unresolved, thereby requiring post-election negotiations reminiscent of a Hung Parliament scenario.
The Lincoln Post adapted this story from original reporting by www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk.
