Polls are open for elections in the UK - what's up for grabs and where?
In Scotland and Wales, voters are deciding who will govern their countries, with all seats in their national parliaments being contested
In England, voting is under way for about 5,000 seats across 136 councils, as well as six mayoral contests
There are no elections in Northern Ireland until May 2027 - this video explains why
Heading out to vote today? Send us your pictures, but not from inside polling stations - here are some other dos and don'ts
Meanwhile, we've been answering your polling day questions and remember, you can use our postcode tool to look up who you can vote for
Image source, ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA/ShutterstockSometimes so-called "tellers" stand outside the polling station and ask voters for the number on their polling card.
They are volunteers who work for candidates. They use the information to check who has voted, so they can remind people who have not yet done so.
They are allowed to ask for your polling card number, but you do not have to give it to them.
While most voters today will be descending on primary schools, churches or community centres, some people have been sent to slightly more interesting locales to mark their ballots.
Across the UK, we've seen golf courses, whimsically-painted cafes and folding caravans all transform into polling stations today.
If you've got an odd polling place, we want to know about it - here's how to send us your pictures.
Image source, PA MediaPeople at the Turnhouse Golf Club in Edinburgh can vote for their favourite par-tee in today's Holyrood elections
Image source, Pete SparksPeople in Langsett, South Yorkshire, get to cast their votes in the whimsical Bank View Cafe
Image source, PA MediaThis folding caravan in Duxford, Cambridgeshire, has also offered its services to democracy today
Image source, EPA/ShutterstockWe've been keeping across some of the most-searched questions as voters across England, Scotland and Wales head to the polls today.
Where is my polling station?
Your poll card, which is sent to you ahead of an election, tells you where your polling station is.
If you don't have your card, you can contact your electoral registration office, external to find out where to go.
What if I've lost my poll card?
All registered voters get sent a polling card in the post. But don't fret - you can still vote without it. The process might just be a little slower, so leave yourself more time.
What do I need to take with me?
It depends where you are. People voting in Scottish Parliament or Senedd elections don't need ID to vote in person - but everyone voting in person in the local elections in England does.
For more on what to pack, see our earlier post.
When do polling stations close?
They'll be shutting shop at 22:00 BST. But as long as you've joined the queue by this time, you'll still be allowed to vote.
Why are there no local elections in my area?
There will be some parts of England not voting at all today.
That's because the elections in England are local - not national like in Scotland and Wales - and they don't all take place at the same time. Some councils elect all councillors every four years, others elect half every two years, and the rest elect a third of councillors every three years - and hold no elections in the fourth year.
Lucy Ashton
BBC Sheffield political reporter
Children who accompany their parents to one Sheffield polling station can take part in their own little vote.
Youngsters can vote for the "sweetie party" or the "biscuit party" - and take the relevant treat from a bowl (at the time of writing, the sweetie party was winning!)
Image source, North Norfolk District CouncilA cow was spotted nibbling at the signage at Hanworth polling station in North Norfolk
Broadcasters, including the BBC, are limited on what they can report on polling day.
As we can't cover details of campaigning or election issues while polls are open, instead we stick to the practicalities around voting. That also gives us the chance to share photos of the various animals we spot accompanying their owners while they vote.
We've seen plenty of dogs already, but we know from experience that more unusual species also head out on polling day.
If you have a picture you would like to share with us, you can get in touch in the following ways.
Remember: don't take picturesinside your local polling station.
Please read ourterms & conditions andprivacy policy
In some cases, a selection of your comments and questions may be published, along with your name and location as provided, unless you request otherwise. Your contact details will never be published.
The BBC, like other broadcasters, is not allowed to report details of campaigning or election issues while polls are open in England, Scotland and Wales on Thursday 7 May.
On polling day, the BBC does not report on any of the election campaigns from 06:00 BST until polls close at 22:00 BST on TV, radio or bbc.co.uk, or on social media and other channels.
However, online sites do not have to remove archived reports, including, for instance, programmes on iPlayer. For Scotland and Wales, the lists of candidates, as well as the manifesto guides, remain available online during polling day.
Coverage of what is happening on the day is usually restricted to uncontroversial factual accounts, such as the appearance of politicians at polling stations, or the weather.
Today, almost 5,000 seats up across around 136 councils are up for grabs in parts of England today.
The councillors who are elected are responsible for representing their local area, providing community leadership and voting on decisions in meetings.
It's also worth noting that councillors are not paid a salary. Instead, they receive an allowance to cover costs such as childcare and travel, with many working another job alongside their council role.
Watch below to find out more on what different local councils do.
England: what does your council do?
Image source, Getty ImagesSome election enthusiasts like to pull an all-nighter as the results trickle in - but counting in many areas won't take place until the day after polls close during these elections.
This includes the counting for the Scottish and Welsh parliamentary elections. Some local seats in England will be counted overnight - but not all.
It means that for those of us not staying up all night, it's unlikely that we'll wake up on Friday to the full picture from today's polls.
When will we know the results?
The decisions for the Scotland and Wales vote counts were announced last year. The Electoral Management Board for Scotland said the measure would reduce costs. Both the Scottish and the Welsh boards also said it would increase public engagement and ensure staff were well rested.
But is this a new method?
In Scotland, counting has traditionally been done overnight, however a daytime count was also held at the last Holyrood election in 2021 due to Covid restrictions.
In Wales, daytime counts have become common, with votes for the 2021 Senedd election and 2022 local government elections being counted during the day.
Scotland's main party leaders have been spotted out voting today in the Holyrood election. SNP leader John Swinney, who is hoping to remain as First Minister, voted in his Perthshire North constituency.
Reform's Malcolm Offord and Alex Cole-Hamilton for the Lib Dems both voted in Edinburgh. Labour's Anas Sarwar, Conservative Russell Findlay and Ross Greer of the Scottish Greens were at polling stations in the Glasgow area.
Image source, PA MediaSNP leader John Swinney and his wife Elizabeth arrive to votes at Burrelton and Woodside Village Hall in Blairgowrie, Perthshire
Image source, PA MediaScottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton brings his dog Bramble to Davidson's Mains Parish Church in Edinburgh
Image source, Getty ImagesReform’s Scotland leader Malcolm Offord meets supporters outside at Saint James' Goldenacre church in Edinburgh
Image source, PA MediaScottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is joined by his family to vote at Pollokshields Burgh Hall in Glasgow
Image source, PA MediaRussell Findlay, leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, is at a polling station Cleveden Secondary School in Glasgow’s West End
Ross Greer, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, votes at a polling station in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire
Image source, Getty ImagesA UK driver's licence is one of many forms of ID accepted at polling stations in England
In England, all voters heading to the polls will need to show a photo ID before they are allowed to cast their vote.
This is not the case for the Welsh and Scottish Parliament elections.
The forms of ID that will be accepted by polling stations include:
There are also many other forms of ID acceptable at polling stations in England, you can find the full list here, external.
You can use our postcode lookup tool to see if there are any elections happening in your area - and, if so, who is on the ballot.
Everyone voting in England will need to show ID to be able to vote. However, this is not the case in Scotland or Wales.
Acceptable forms of ID include passports and driving licences, and you can find a full list of what is accepted here, external.
Registration for postal and proxy votes closed last month, but if you realise at the last minute that you cannot cast a ballot in person, you can apply for an emergency proxy, external until 17:00 BST.
Jack Grey
Live reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Senedd, or Welsh Parliament, is the national parliament of Wales and like the Scottish Parliament passes laws on matters that have been devolved by the UK.
It was established in 1999, but was initially called the Welsh Assembly, as opposed to parliament, and its powers were fairly limited.
However, over the years more and more powers have been devolved, with the Senedd now having full law-making powers in areas including health, education, transport, rural affairs, and the environment.
Other areas such as defence, benefits, foreign affairs and major rail infrastructure still remain with Westminster.
This is the first election for the newly expanded Senedd, which will now be made up of 96 members of the Senedd (MSs) - up from 60.
It is also the first Senedd election under a new proportional voting system which will see Wales divided into 16 large constituencies - you can read more on that here.
What is the Senedd?
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Scottish Parliament passes laws that apply to those living in Scotland in areas that have been devolved from the UK Parliament.
These areas cover most aspects of day-to-day life in Scotland, including education, health and transport, and some aspects of tax.
Westminster still passes laws that apply to Scotland on reserved matters, which are typically those with international impacts like defence, foreign policy and immigration.
Established in 1999, the Scottish Parliament, in Holyrood, Edinburgh, is made up of 129 members of Scottish Parliament (MSPs).
All of these seats are up for grabs on today's election, in which each voter will cast two votes, one for a constituency MSP and another is for the regional ballot.
BBC Wales News
The leaders of all six main political parties in Wales have cast their votes.
Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth voted in Llangristiolus, Anglesey, while Welsh leader of Reform Dan Thomas voted in Aberbargoed, Caerphilly county.
Welsh Liberal Democrats leader Jane Dodds headed to her local polling station in Hay-on-Wye, Powys and Welsh Greens leader Anthony Slaughter was joined by Green Party leader Zach Polanski on his way to vote in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan.
Welsh Labour leader Eluned Morgan voted in St Davids, Pembrokeshire while Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar cast his vote in Kinmel Bay, Conwy.
Image source, ReutersPlaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth voted in Llangristiolus, Anglesey
Reform Wales leader Dan Thomas voted in Aberbargoed, Caerphilly county
Image source, ITVWelsh Liberal Democrats leader Jane Dodds voted at her local polling station in Hay-on-Wye, Powys
Image source, PA MediaGreen party leader Zack Polanski joined Green party Welsh leader Anthony Slaughter this morning
Image source, PA MediaEluned Morgan voted in St Davids, Pembrokeshire
Darren Millar voted at his local polling station in Kinmel Bay, Conwy
Across this morning, the leaders of the main parties in Westminster have been pictured out and about, as millions head to the polls to cast their votes.
We've spotted Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife, Victoria, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey and his wife, Emily, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and her husband, Hamish, and Green Party leader Zack Polanski.
Image source, PA Media
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, PA Media
Image source, Getty ImagesNabiha Ahmed
Live reporter
Our teams have been gathering some of the key questions voters have been searching for this morning before going to the polls.
If you're about to head out the door, here's a glossary of our guides to voting in person:
What are today's elections?
Local elections are taking place in parts of England, alongside national elections in Scotland and Wales. Here's a closer look at the contests.
We also have individual, in-depth guides to each of the England, Scotland and Wales votes.
Do I need ID to vote?
If you're voting in England, you'll need to bring photo ID with you. Here's a list of the kinds of ID you can take.
You do not need ID to vote in person in the Scottish Parliament or Senedd elections.
Do I need a polling card to vote?
If you think you know the answer, test your knowledge here. (No spoilers!)
We've also rounded up the polling day dos and don'ts here.
When will election results be announced?
Unlike in a general election, not all votes are being counted overnight. Here's a breakdown of when we can expect results to come through.
If you are planning to stay up, here's how the BBC will be covering the election through the night.
What's the polling day weather forecast?
It's a mixed picture. Click here to find out if it's sunglasses or an umbrella you'll need to pack.
Image source, Getty ImagesIn the past, everyone in the UK had to be at least 18 to vote in any local or devolved parliament election, however, this is no longer the case.
Since 2016 in Scotland, and 2021 in Wales, 16 and 17-year-olds have been able to vote in local government, Senedd and Scottish Parliament elections.
In England, the minimum voting age for local and mayoral elections is 18.
In a general election, the voting age is 18 across the UK.
Once polls close at 22:00, our coverage will shift to the counts and results.
(Remember, though: most results won't be counted through the night, bar some councils in England).
Here's what to watch and when:
From 23:00, BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 5 Livewill join forces for an overnight results programme, co-presented by Nick Robinson and Rachel Burden.
From 23:10 on BBC One, Laura Kuenssberg be hosting a special programme, alongside analysis from polling guru Sir John Curtice and number-crunching from Reeta Chakrabarti.
On Friday morning, Sophie Rayworth will take over on BBC One, with Clive Myrie in Cardiff for the Senedd elections and Kirsty Wark in Edinburgh for the Holyrood vote.
