When you must register to vote by to have your say this year's local elections - and other deadlines

Polls across the country will open at 7am on Thursday, May 2, when people up and down the country will be given a chance to have their say about their local council representatives, police and crime commissioner and, in some places, regional mayor.

There will be local elections across the Black Country – where a third of seats will be up for grabs at three of the authorities – and parts of Staffordshire.

People will also be able to vote for regional mayors including in the West Midlands, where current-standing Conservative Mayor Andy Street will face opposition from those running for the Labour Party, Green Party and the Liberal Democrats.

The position of Police and Crime Commissioner will also be voted for at the upcoming elections, including in the West Midlands, Staffordshire and West Mercia.

In order to vote, residents must register by 11:59pm tomorrow.

Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming elections in the region and how to register before time is up:

West Midlands elections

Local council elections

• Cannock Chase Council: All 36 council seats are up for grabs.

• Dudley Council: All 72 seats at Dudley Council will be contested this year.

• Sandwell Council: A total of 24 seats will be up for grabs, one third of the 72 that make up Sandwell Council.

• Walsall Council: Out of 60 seats, people will be able to vote for 20 of them in this year's election.

• Wolverhampton Council: One third of the authority's 60 seats will be contested.

Mayoral elections

• West Midlands Mayor election: Everybody living in the area covered by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) can vote in the mayoral election. This includes people whose councils are either Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall or Wolverhampton.

Police and Crime Commissioner elections

• Police and Crime Commissioner elections: All Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) positions are being contested, including in the West Midlands, Staffordshire and West Mercia.

Deadline to register

There are three ways to have your say: in person at the ballot box, by post, or via proxy, when someone does it on your behalf.

Anyone who wants to vote can do so by 11:59pm tomorrow on the Electoral Commission website.

If you want to vote in person, you will be sent a polling card indicating when you can vote and at which polling station.

Postal vote

People who want to vote by post needs to apply for a postal vote by 5pm on Wednesday.

Proxy vote

Those who wish to apply for a proxy vote must do so by 5pm on Wednesday, April 24.

Both the individual and their proxy must be registered to vote in the UK before applying.

More details are available on the Gov.Uk website.

Voter ID

Photo ID will be needed at polling stations this year. Documents that are accepted are:

• Passport

• Driving licence

• Blue Badge

• Older Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government

• Disabled Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government

• Oyster 60+ Card funded by the funded by the UK Government

• Freedom Pass

• Proof of age

• Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)

• Other government issued documents

• Biometric immigration document

• Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)

• National identity card issued by an EEA state

• Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland

• Voter Authority Certificate

• Anonymous Elector's Document

Anyone without any of these can apply for free voter ID at the Electoral Commission website by 5pm on Wednesday, April 24.