WITH the national focus being taken up by the snap general election called by Prime Minister Theresa May, it could be easy to forget that today (May 4), polling stations are open for local council elections.

Nearly 600,000 Devon residents aged 18 and over will get the chance to go to the polls today to determine who will lead Devon County Council and be responsible for key local services for the next four years.

County council elections in England take place once every four years and this year 60 seats are up for grabs. Due to boundary commission changes, this is a reduction of two seats from the last whole council elections in 2013, where 62 seats were contested.

In the West Devon area, the divisions being contested are Tavistock, Okehampton Rural, Hatherleigh and Chagford and Yelverton Rural.

Torrington Rural, which covers Winkleigh and Merton, and Holsworthy Rural, which covers Halwill and Shebbear, are also being contested in the Torridge area.

In East Cornwall’s county elections, the divisions being contested are Callington, Gunnislake and Calstock, Stoke Climsland and St Dominick, Harrowbarrow and Kelly Bray. There are also parish elections taking place in Cornwall.

If you have registered to vote, the council should have sent a polling card, informing you where and when to vote. Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm. Upon arriving at your polling station, give your name and address to the staff inside. You will then receive your ballot paper with the list of candidates to take into a polling booth.

If you have a postal vote but have yet to send it before the 10pm deadline, it can be handed in to your local polling station or to the local electoral registration office — West Devon Borough Council, Torridge District Council or Cornwall Council — before 10pm today.