Welsh Assembly elections: Mid Wales candidates line up in polling countdown

Mid Wales voters will be putting a cross on their ballot papers for the candidate and party they want to represent them in the Senedd, as well as the party or independent from the regional ballot.

The region's current Assembly Members, Conservative Russell George for Montgomeryshire, and Labour's Ken Skates for Clwyd South, will both be looking to keep their seats and secure a second term as their constituency's representative.

Mr George faces opposition from Jane Dodds for the Liberal Democrats, Aled Morgan Hughes for Plaid Cymru, Des Parkinson for Ukip, Martyn Singleton for Labour, and Richard Chaloner for the Green Party.

Mr Skates is up against Simon Baynes of the Conservative party, Aled Roberts for the Liberal Democrats, Mabon ap Gwynfor of Plaid Cymru, Duncan Rees of the Green Party, and Mandy Jones of Ukip.

In May 2011, Mr George was elected to represent Montgomeryshire, achieving a swing of nine per cent from the Liberal Democrats with 43.7 per cent of the vote, and a majority of 2,324.

Mr Skates was elected to the Assembly with 42.4 per cent of the vote in Clwyd South, enjoying a comfortable majority, increasing the Labour vote by 7.5 per cent, securing 8,500 votes ahead of the second place Conservatives.

The first assembly elections were held in 1999, when Liberal Democrat Mick Bates won the Montgomeryshire seat, holding it until 2011.

That year Wyn Williams was unsuccessful in retaining the seat for the Liberal Democrats, and Mr George took office.

Former Parliamentary candidate Jane Dodds is running for the Liberal Democrats, hoping to reclaim the constituency for the party.

In Clwyd South, the seat has been held by Labour since the first Welsh Assembly elections in 1999.

Unlike parliamentary constituencies, assembly constituencies are grouped into additional electoral regions. Montgomeryshire is part of Mid and West Wales and Clwyd South is part of North Wales, both areas are represented by another four assembly members.

In the assembly, each elector has two votes, one constituency vote and one regional vote. Each constituency elects one AM by the first past the post system, and the additional assembly seats are elected based on the second vote.

Power over a number of areas of Government has been devolved to the Assembly from Westminster including health, education, local government, highways, tourism and culture.

Montgomeryshire is a rural constituency with a population of more than 60,000, where agriculture and tourism are the key industries.

The constituency is made up of the northern part of Powys, and many of the area's constituents rely heavily on health services across the English border in Shrewsbury.

The Clwyd South seat takes in the fringes of the town of Wrexham and the Berwyn range.

The constituency has a population of 72,373, and is probably best known for its annual International Music Eisteddfod in Llangollen.

The election for the regions' police and crime commissioners will also take place on the same day as the Assembly elections.