Voters across Great Yarmouth will go to the polls on May 2 with all 39 seats up for grabs for the first time.
Following a referendum in 2017, the borough council is moving to whole council elections, meaning all 17 wards will be available, with elections then taking place every four years.
All parish councils will also have elections this year.
Anyone wanting to stand must meet qualifying criteria, and must also sign and submit a nomination form, together with consent to nomination.
The deadline for nominations is 4pm on Wednesday, April 3 and a list of nominated candidates will be published soon after.
Polling cards will be sent out next week.
The last date to register to vote is Friday, April 12.
If an elector is unable to vote in person at the polling station on the day, they can apply for a postal or proxy vote by 5pm on Monday, April 15.
Postal votes will be issued around Tuesday, April 16.
The deadline for receiving new applications to vote by proxy (not postal proxy or emergency proxies) is 5pm on Wednesday, April 24.
Before the referendum the council held elections by thirds, meaning one third of the 39 seats came up for election each year for three successive years in four, with one year off.
The advantages for whole council elections were billed as:
• A clear mandate from the electorate once every four years enabling the council to adopt a more strategic, long term approach to policy making and focus less on yearly campaigning.
• The results from whole council elections are simpler and more easily understood.
• Potential increased turn out.
• There would be a clearer opportunity for voters to change the political composition of the council once every four years.
• Whole council elections allows for full training of councillors at the start of the four years.
• Holding whole council elections once every four years would result in a significant cashable saving of £50k per annum for the council. (This does not take into account any by-elections within the four years.)
Some 23,737 people voted in the ballot with 69.6pc asking to change to whole council elections.
To speak to the council’s election team call 01493 846327 or email elections@great-yarmouth.gov.uk.
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