The candidates battling to become Norfolk's next police and crime commissioner have been confirmed.

Norfolk will go to the polls to vote for the commissioner - the elected official tasked with setting out the way crime is tackled by Norfolk police - on Thursday, May 2.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: The candidates to be Norfolk's next police and crime commissioner - John Crofts (Liberal Democrats), Giles Orpen-Smellie (Conservative), Martin Schmierer (Green) and Sarah Taylor (Labour)The candidates to be Norfolk's next police and crime commissioner - John Crofts (Liberal Democrats), Giles Orpen-Smellie (Conservative), Martin Schmierer (Green) and Sarah Taylor (Labour) (Image: Liberal Democrats / Denise Bradley / Green Party / Labour Party)

They have four candidates to choose from when they head to the ballot box, with the count taking place the following day.

Conservative Giles Orpen-Smellie currently holds the position, having won the 2021 election.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Giles Orpen-SmellieGiles Orpen-Smellie (Image: Newsquest)

He has been reselected by the Tories and hopes to become the first person to hold the role for a second term.

Labour has selected Sprowston-born Sarah Taylor, a district councillor in Dereham.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Sarah TaylorSarah Taylor (Image: Labour Party)

The Liberal Democrats have picked former headteacher John Crofts, a Norfolk county councillor for Freebridge Lynn, as their candidate. He finished third in 2021.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: John CroftsJohn Crofts (Image: Liberal Democrats)

The Greens have selected former Lord Mayor of Norwich Martin Schmierer. Mr Schmierer, a Green city councillor and ex-leader of the Greens at City Hall has stood for the police and crime commissioner role twice before - in 2016 and 2021.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Martin SchmiererMartin Schmierer

More than 230,000 voted in the 2021 election, a turnout of 32.9pc. In previous years, the election used the supplementary vote, where voters could choose a first and second choice.

If a candidate did not get 50pc of the vote in the first round, the second choices of the other candidates were redistributed to the top two candidates - and the winner was the one with the most votes.

However, this year, the candidate with the largest share of the votes will win.

Police and crime commissioners set force budgets, decide crime prioritise and can fire and hire chief constables.

In order to vote in the election, people must be registered to vote by midnight on Tuesday, April 16. It can be done online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Wednesday, April 17.  That can be done at www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote

For a proxy vote the deadline is 5pm on Wednesday, April 24 at www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote