Voters go to the polls in Manchester today (May 22) to choose their local councillors and representatives in the European Parliament.

Polling stations are open from 7am till 10pm and the votes will be counted for the council elections tomorrow (Friday) with the European election results announced on Sunday.

There will be coverage of the Manchester City Council results as they come in on Friday starting at 2pm.

Two separate voting systems are used in the elections. In the council elections,  the familiar first past the post system will be used where voters make their choice of candidate and the person with the most votes wins.

In the European elections, a method of proportional representation is used – the regional list system – in which the voter puts their cross in support of a party to represent them in the North West Regional constituency. Eight seats are up for grabs in the North West and the seats are allocated according to the share of the vote for each party.

The candidates for Wythenshawe’s Manchester City Council wards are:

BAGULEY                                                                                                               BROWN Rhona Eva Elizabeth  Liberal Democrat                                                  CLEMENTS Frank  Green Party                                                                    FLEMING Ian George UK Independence Party                                                RAWLINS Tracey Labour and Cooperative Party Candidate                           WOODS Stephen Paul The Conservative Party Candidate                WORTHINGTON Lynn Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts

BROOKLANDS                                                                                                ELLERTON Ralph John The Conservative Party Candidate
MOORCROFT Joel Liberal Democrat
MURPHY Sue Labour and Cooperative Party Candidate
QUINN Eithne Green Party
SPOOR Anne UK Independence Party

NORTHENDEN                                                                                                          DI MAURO Mary Eileen Liberal Democrats
EDGE Simon Green Party
GREEN Fiona Mary The Conservative Party Candidate
RUSSELL Sarah Labour Party Candidate

SHARSTON (2 SEATS)                                                                                              BARRETT Hugh Labour Party Candidate
BURKE Bob UK Independence Party
HIGGINS Catherine Respect (George Galloway)
HUNT Alison Green Party
MONAGHAN Madeleine Labour Party Candidate
MORGAN David The Conservative Party Candidate
SUMMERILL Robert Liberal Democrat
YORKE-DAVENPORT John Frazer Liberal Democrats

WOODHOUSE PARK                                                                                 BANNISTER Colin Anthony Liberal Democrat
MCHUGH Stephen James The Conservative Party Candidate
MOLTENO May Green Party
NEWMAN Edward Labour Party Candidate
WELCH Tony UK Independence Party