Cambridgeshire: Police Election Turnout
16 November 2012, 10:08 | Updated: 16 November 2012, 10:50
Figures show around 15% of people eligible to vote in the Cambridgeshire Police & Crime Commissioner elections did so.
According to district councils, the turnout across Cambridgeshire was 15.25%.
Broken down by districts in Cambridgeshire, the turnout was:
- Peterborough 17.45%
- South Cambridgeshire 15.9%
- Huntingdonshire 15.31%
- Cambridge 14.69%
- Fenland 12.98%
- East Cambridgeshire 12.93%
The votes have now been verified, and counting is due to start at midday today (Friday) at the Ross Peers Sports Centre in Soham.
The winning candidate is expected to be announced by 5pm today.
The newly-created role of Police and Crime Commissioner includes holding forces to account, hiring and firing Chief Constables and overseeing Police budgets.
People across England and Wales have voted for who they want to take the role in their areas.
Successful candidates will earn up to £100,000 a year.
However, the vote was branded a 'comedy of errors' by the Electoral Reform Society, which claimed polling stations had been 'standing empty'.
Fears of an overall low turnout were compounded as more figures came in from across the counts.
In Coventry just 10.54% voted while West Yorkshire recorded 13.76% of the electorate casting a vote.
Official West Midlands figures showed turnout was 12.8% in Birmingham and 12.5% in both Walsall and Solihull, while just 12.1% of voters bothered to cast their ballots in Sandwell.