VOTERS heading to the ballot box on Thursday, May 7 will not just be deciding their local MP.

There will also be the chance for Dorchester residents to cast their vote in the town council elections.

All 20 seats on the council will be up for grabs across four wards.

There will be four councillors elected from the south, east and west wards and eight from the north ward.

A total of 42 candidates have put themselves forward for the election.

The candidates are as follows:

Dorchester East - Timothy Harries (Liberal Democrat), Len Herbert (Green Party), Stella Jones (Lib Dem), Fiona Kent-Ledger (Lib Dem), Tony Lyall (Lib Dem), Jenny Shackleford (Green), Barry Thompson (Labour)

Dorchester North - Vivienne Allan (Conservative), Jo Archer (Green), Barry Armstrong-Marshall (Lib Dem), Richard Biggs (Lib Dem), Vicki Black (Green), Andy Canning (Lib Dem), Alistair Chisholm (Independent), Graham Clarke (UK Independence Party), Ian Gosling (Con), David Green (Con), Sheila Green (Con), Susie Hosford (Lib Dem), Tamara Loakes (Lib Dem), Kate Rice (Lib Dem), Murray Shackleford (Green), Claudia Sorin (Labour), David Taylor (Lib Dem), Warwick Taylor (Con)

Dorchester South - Frances Anderson (Labour), Carolyn Biggs (Lib Dem), Mary Calvert (Con), Kate Forrester (Green), Jonathan Halewood (Con), Gareth Jones (Lib Dem), Robin Potter (Lib Dem), Molly Rennie (Lib Dem), Mark Smith (Green)

Dorchester West - Gerald Duke (Con), Judy Edwards (Green), Len Heath (Lib Dem), Janet Hewitt (Lib Dem), Trevor Jones (Lib Dem), Lee Rhodes (Labour), Paul Smith (Lib Dem), Peter Stein (Con)

Someone who is not standing for the upcoming town council elections is serving mayor Cllr Peter Mann, who has been a town councillor since 2005.

He said he is retiring to make way for a younger person.

Cllr Mann said: "I have very much enjoyed the time I have spent on the council and I have great respect for my fellow councillors and I'm sure I shall leave things in good hands."

The mayor also urged people to go head out to the polling stations on May 7 and make their vote count.

He said: "I think we really should not take democracy for granted, it really is very important indeed.

"It's part of our inheritance and we should use our vote and take pride in the community and do what we can to safeguard the good of Dorchester for future generations."

Anyone wishing to vote must register before the deadline on Monday, April 20.

The deadline for postal vote applications is 5pm on Tuesday, April 21 and it is also possible to vote by proxy, where somebody votes on your behalf, if you register before 5pm on Tuesday, April 28.

For more information visit gov.uk/register-to-vote