Today's the day to elect your Police Commissioner - will you be voting?

By 8.30 only 13 people had voted at in the West Southbourne ward at the Trinity Methodist Church.

“The car park is empty and the polling clerks are twiddling their thumbs at the moment,” said one local resident who did vote.

It was also quiet at the polling station on Herbert Avenue.  Bearwood resident Roger Thresh said he was voter number six when he cast his ballot at the community centre.

He said: "I haven't had any literature from any of the candidates - I had to look them up in the Daily Echo."

Voting was also NOT brisk at Bournemouth's Central polling station for today's police and crime commissioner elections.

Despite the poll opening at 7am, by 8.30am the Town Hall station had only had two voters. By 9am less than half a dozen had turned up.

Rory Boyle of Bournemouth was one of the early birds who arrived to record his vote before 9am.

“I think it's a very important election,” he said. “I believe you should have a say in the policing of your town. One of the things I'd want would be someone who could challenge the bikers who frighten elderly people by cycling on the pavement where they're not supposed to.”

Voter David Davies also believed it was important to take the opportunity to have his say in the commissioner elections.

“You should always take the opportunity to vote,” he said. “I hope people will vote in this election as I believe the idea of a police commissioner is a good one.”

Inside the polling station a member of staff confirmed that voting was often slow. “People tend to come out after EastEnders or, more usually, on their way home from work, when they hear about it on the news bulletins and remember to vote,” he said.

Voting continued to be slow all day.  An Echo reporter spent 20 minutes outside a station in Poole and saw not a single voter.

At Highcliffe School, 244 people had voted by 6pm - still less than 11 per cent of the electorate.

The four candidates standing for the post are Rachel Rogers, Labour, Conservative Nick King, Independent candidate Martyn Underhill and Lib Dem candidate Andy Canning.

In sweeping changes which aim to give people a better say in how communities are policed, the PCC will be a ‘powerful local figure’ representing views and use their mandate to cut crime, according to the Home Office.

The Commissioner will replace the role currently carried out by Dorset Police Authority.

He or she will agree budgets, set strategic priorities and recruit or dismiss chief constables – but will not take decisions on day-to-day police operations. This remains the responsibility of the Chief Constable.

Fears have been expressed that turnout could the be lowest for any national election in the UK.

You can read profiles on all the candidates at bournemouthecho.co.uk/pcc.

Echo opinion: Why you should vote

We know that hundreds of you are disinterested in this election or believe that the role of the PCC shouldn't exist. Many of you have complained you don't know anything about the contenders. But despite all these things, we believe you should take the time to cast a vote today. Here are some of the reasons why:

1. Whether you agree with the principle or not, regardless of turnout, there will be a Commissioner in Dorset by tomorrow evening - so why not have a say in who that is?
2. Dorset Police's budget, the future of PCSOs, increasing special constables, victim protection, drug strategy - all these are issues the PCC will be able to influence
3. Dorset's Chief Constable - the PCC has the right to hire and fire
4. As our leader column says this morning - decisions are made by those who turn up

We've also asked the candidates why they think you should vote. Not why you should vote for them, but why vote at all:

Rachel Rogers said: “I think it is really important that people should go out and vote.

“It’s a very influential post and it’s not just to do with the police, it is about community safety and it will impact on everyone living in Dorset.

“If you don’t vote you are letting other people make the decision for you.”

Andy Canning said: “Nothing is more important that protecting your family, protecting your neighbourhood, protecting your community and making sure it’s safe.

“That is what this election is all about, voting for the person most able to organise the police and provide value for money.”

Martyn Underhill said: “This is a step change in policing – a chance for the public to have a say on how Dorset is policed."

And Nick King said: “People may be currently don’t realise how important this role is going to be but it is going to be a really big role.

“For the first time someone will have a job which overarches the entire county and will influence how people are policed and how communities are kept safe. This is why people should vote.”

We'll be covering the count live from Lighthouse Poole tomorrow, so you can be first to know who's won with the Echo.