On Thursday 5th May many voters in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will head to the polls to elect their new local representatives.
With a vast number of seats being contested, the results are likely to paint a vivid picture of the national mood for the first time since the 2019 snap general election.
But how do the local elections work, what are the key areas to look out for and what is the best way to keep up to date as the results unfold.
Here's a breakdown of how to follow all the action with Sky News
On Thursday 5th May, following Sky News at Ten, Jonathan Samuels will present Vote 2022 - a special overnight results programme from 11pm through to 5am on Friday. Viewers can enjoy the excitement of a full on-screen results service highlighting every result as it happens. Samuels will be accompanied by Sky News' Deputy Political Editor Sam Coates, Elections Analyst Professor Michael Thrasher and correspondents in key areas. As the night unfolds, Sky News' Business Correspondent Helen-Ann Smith will bring expertise and analysis of the data.
On Friday morning viewers will get a full digest and explanation of the story so far, with special editions of The Early Rundown, with Kamali Melbourne (5am-7am), followed by Kay Burley (7am-10am) and Ian King Live (10am-11am).
As results continue, from 11am-7pm Sophy Ridge will present a follow up edition of Vote 2022 with rolling coverage of the story from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Alongside her will be Sky News' Political Editor Beth Rigby, Elections Analyst Professor Michael Thrasher and once again, trusted correspondents in key voting areas across the UK. Sky News' Economics and Data Editor Ed Conway will add depth to the emerging picture from the Sky News Centre.
Dermot Murnaghan will present the third edition of Vote 2022 from 7pm-10pm on Friday, with Jayne Secker presenting from Belfast as well as correspondents at all three counts, right through until the final decisive results are in.
On Saturday morning Sophy Ridge, Sam Coates and Jayne Secker will have full coverage of any late results and all the fallout, bringing Vote 2022 to a close from 10am-7pm.
On skynews.com and the Sky News app users can enjoy the integrated election results service including a postcode search to find the result in any council in England, Scotland and Wales and detailed NI Assembly results as well as the Politics Hub, rolling editorial coverage designed to bring together the best analysis from Sky News' political team.
On the Sky News Daily podcast, Niall Patterson is joined by Skys deputy political editor, Sam Coates, and Freya McClements, Northern Editor for the Irish Times, to explore the national impact of these elections. Listen to the latest Sky News Daily episode Local Elections 2022: what's at stake? and follow Sky News podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and on the Sky News App and website. And ask your smart speaker for Sky News' to hear the latest news bulletin and audio clips from the top stories of the day.
Availability for all: Sky News is available free of charge via Sky TV, Freeview, and on the live streaming service on Sky News mobile and website as well as 24-hour breaking news coverage and analysis across the Sky News social channels.
Follow us on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/skynews
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/skynews and https://twitter.com/skynewsbreak
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skynews
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skynews
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@skynews?lang=en
Follow us on Snapchat: https://story.snapchat.com/p/644a5c69-b1f4-47e8-97e6-74adc4904df3/347660138717184
More from BskyB
30/06/2022
Including Little Simz, It's A Sin, We Are Lady Parts, Cabaret, Boiling Point, Opera North's Rigoletto & Many More
30 June, London, UK. The South Bank ...
28/06/2022
Darkly comic romantic drama begins filming in Belfast at the end of the month
W...
27/06/2022
Sky has launched a new campaign to encourage sport fans to take action against the climate crisis that is affecting the sports they love. Fans attending some of...
23/06/2022
New research from Sky Mobile unveils the importance of tuning into uplifting pos...
22/06/2022
It's time to roll out the red carpet for a mountain of entertainment. On 22 June, Paramount makes its big debut in the UK and Sky Cinema customers on Sky p...
20/06/2022
Sky has announced a £1m partnership with newly launched civil rights group, the ...
14/06/2022
The destination for fans of science fiction and fantasy genres, Syfy, will be re-branding to Sky Sci-Fi from Tuesday 26 July. The channel has been revamped and ...
08/06/2022
Primary school aged children should be spending an average of 65 minutes a day dedicated to the arts, including reading, painting and dance, new research reveal...
08/06/2022
Sky Studios, Sky's original programming arm across Europe, today announces the appointment of Meghan Lyvers to the role of Director of Original Drama, UK&I ...
06/06/2022
Sky Sports, the home of live golf in the UK and Ireland, has today announced an ...
06/06/2022
Today Bisha K. Ali, Netflix and Sky reveal the cohort of six outstanding screenw...
01/06/2022
Sky Sports fans were treated to another breathtaking weekend of live sport, lead...
27/05/2022
On Sunday 5 June, everyone in the UK will be able to watch Wales take on either ...
26/05/2022
May 25th 2022
Head of Sky News, John Ryley, gave the keynote address at the annual MHP 30 to Watch Young Journalist Awards in London.
Speaking as what might ...
26/05/2022
Research from Sky Glass has identified the interior looks and motivations shaping our homes in 2022
Socially inspired: 50% of people admit they are influenced ...
25/05/2022
Sky Documentaries, the home of world-class, real-life stories from award-winning and emerging filmmakers, has today launched its first documentary shorts fund i...
25/05/2022
From Saturday 2nd July, Tom Heap will host new weekend editions of The Daily Climate Show on Sky News. The 30 minute programmes will be broadcast on TV and acro...
25/05/2022
Sky's main commentary box at Lord's to be renamed after leg-spin great
...
20/05/2022
Sky News has announced its coverage plans for The Queen's Platinum Jubilee, when the country will come together to celebrate 70 years of service by Her Maje...
19/05/2022
Sky today announced that Noel Tovey has been appointed to the role of Managing Director at Sky Studios Elstree, Sky's brand-new state of the art film and TV...
19/05/2022
In the latest instalment of Beth Rigby Interviews the show will be talking to three individuals from across the globe, from music royalty, to influential figur...
18/05/2022
Following Sky's successful Up Next showcase event at the Theatre Royal, Drur...
18/05/2022
Sky have today revealed a first look teaser for This England (formerly This Scep...
18/05/2022
Sky today releases the official trailer for the second series of the BAFTA winning, Gangs of London.
One year after the death of Sean Wallace and the violent ...
17/05/2022
Football fan? Music lover? Or just fancy a laugh? Sky have got you covered with ...
17/05/2022
After 18 years off our screens, Sky are bringing back Fantasy Football League, t...
17/05/2022
Sky Arts today announces a raft of documentaries uncovering brand new stories of...
17/05/2022
Sky has today announced its largest ever slate of new programming to be shown through 2022 and beyond, including a raft of new commissions across drama, comedy ...
16/05/2022
Sky today unveils three new titles for Sky Documentaries and a series each for Sky Crime, Sky Nature and Sky HISTORY. The six new commissions, which will also a...
16/05/2022
Sky today releases the official first look trailer for brand new series ONCE UPO...
13/05/2022
Sky News is taking its breakfast programme to Wigan and presenter Kay Burley will be taking the temperature of a part of the North West that has proved to be a ...
12/05/2022
Sky Sports will welcome television and radio presenter Mark Chapman to its Carabao Cup on-screen line-up for the 2022/23 competition starting this summer.
Mark...
12/05/2022
Award-winning filmmaker and executive producer, Vesna Cudic has been appointed H...
12/05/2022
Emmy Award-winning THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH JAMES CORDEN is returning to London t...
10/05/2022
Sky is kicking off the summer with unforgettable performances and interviews from the one and only Liam Gallagher in 60-minute special Liam Gallagher 48 Hours a...
10/05/2022
To celebrate the launch of season 2 of The Flight Attendant, streaming service N...
10/05/2022
Sky has appointed Tom Barry in the role of Commissioning Editor in Documentaries and Factual commissioning. Tom will start in the position in June.
In his new ...
10/05/2022
Sky have today revealed a first look teaser for the highly anticipated return of...
08/05/2022
Tonight, Sky Sports celebrates a BAFTA win for its Formula One coverage of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the 2022 British Academy Television Awards.
Sky Sports ...
06/05/2022
Nothing will ever be the same again. Everything is divided into before and now.
These are the chilling words of Evelina Bondarenko, a 28-year-old Ukrainian w...
05/05/2022
A new teaser trailer has been released for House of the Dragon. The series will ...
04/05/2022
On Thursday 5th May many voters in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will head to the polls to elect their new local representatives.
With a vast ...
03/05/2022
Sky Studios Elstree has announced 12 new roles aimed at launching young people i...
03/05/2022
This year's Footprint Fund judging panel welcomes insight and expertise from...
27/04/2022
Sky today release the official trailer for brand new Sky Original Blocco 181 from Sky Italia, coming soon to Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK on 22nd June.
Blocc...
25/04/2022
Sky Sports has today announced a new multi-year broadcast partnership with W Series, the international single-seater motor racing championship for women.
W Se...
21/04/2022
Six-episode drama series The Time Traveler's Wife will be available exclusiv...
On Thursday 5th May many voters in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will head to the polls to elect their new local representatives. 
