Voting’s gonna be wrapping up in just an hour in the big ol’ poll to pick the new Metro Mayor for the Weca region. Folks from Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and Bath and North East Somerset have been getting their vote on since 7am this morning. There’s a total of six candidates in the running: Arron Banks (Reform UK), Helen Godwin (Labour), Oli Henman (Liberal Democrat), Mary Page (Green), Ian Scott (Independent), and Steve Smith (Conservative). Polls are gonna close up shop at 10pm, then all them votes are gonna get scooped up from all over the place and counted up during the night. Supposedly, we’ll know who’s takin’ the crown around 3am on Friday morning. The whole point of this Metro Mayor gig is to give more power to the English regions instead of just hoarding it all in Westminster. Weca’s got some big tasks on their plate, like makin’ public transport better, helpin’ folks find jobs, and supportin’ local businesses. They’re also keepin’ an eye on the region’s housing plans. The last Metro Mayor, Dan Norris, is now also the MP for Hanham and North East Somerset. Thanks to some new rules from the Labour Party, ol’ Dan couldn’t keep both gigs and had to step down. He even got himself in some hot water recently, gettin’ arrested and all that jazz.
Gotta stay tuned for all the juicy results comin’ your way soon. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like we’re in for a wild ride here. Wonderin’ what in tarnation does the Weca mayor even do? Created back in 2017, WECA is a mash-up of Bristol City Council, South Gloucestershire Council, and Bath and North East Somerset Council. It was basically meant to cover the old County of Avon, but North Somerset Council decided to sit this one out. Their main gig is figurin’ out how to funnel millions of dollars into the region. But most importantly, they’re in charge of all things transport, makin’ sure everyone can get from point A to point B without too much hassle. If you want all the nitty gritty details, you can check ’em out right here.
Now, when the heck are we gonna know who’s wearin’ the Metro Mayor crown? It’s gonna be a late one, folks. The ballot boxes are gonna get cracked open at 10.40pm for the big verification dance, where the count staff gotta make sure the number of votes match up with what was dished out at the polling stations. The big reveal is set for around 3-4am on Friday morning, but who knows, it might be earlier or later. They’re countin’ up all them votes at four different spots. If you wanna get all the deets, you can find ’em right here.
So, there you have it folks. Keep your eyes peeled for the big announcement coming your way. Who’s gonna snag that Metro Mayor title? Only time will tell. Happy votin’!
