THE CONSERVATIVE candidate Michael Mates aand independent Alexander Hayes are ahead after the first round in the police commissioner election.

The pair have garnered more first preference votes than the remaining four candidates:

  1. Michael Mates: 24.8% 52,616
  2. Simon Hayes: 22.7% 47,632
  3. Jacqui Rayment 18.3% 38,813
  4. David Goodall 12.8% 27,197
  5. Don Gerrard: 11.5% 24,443
  6. Stephen West: 9.9% 21,185

 

Now the second preference votes will be tallied up to determine who will be Hampshire's first elected police commissioner.

The turnout across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight was 15 per cent. Of the 217,481 votes cast, 5,595 were rejected for a variety of reasons, leaving 211,886 valid votes.