EALING voters are being advised to make sure they know how to have their say when they head to the polls on Thursday.

Around 4,000 polling stations will be open across London from 7am to 10pm to count votes for the election of the Mayor of London and 25 London Assembly members for the next four years.

John Bennett, returning officer for Greater London, said: "It only takes a few minutes to vote on the three ballot papers. So don’t leave it too late and miss out on having your say on May 3.

"This is your chance to say how you would like your London for the next four years and who should be in charge of an annual budget of about £14billion. The decisions made by the Mayor and the Assembly affects every single person living in London."

WHAT TO DO ON THE DAY

* All registered voters should now have received their polling card and an information booklet about the elections and how to vote

* At the polling station voters will be given three ballot papers

* On the pink ballot paper, voters should mark a cross against their first and second preference for the role of London Mayor

* The yellow ballot paper lets voters pick who they would like to represent them locally as the London Assembly Member for the Ealing and Hillingdon seat

* And on the orange ballot paper, voters mark one cross against the political party or independent candidate who they want to represent the whole of London

* Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm

* To locate your nearest polling station visit www.londonelects.org.uk and typing in your postcode in the ‘Where to Vote’ section

* Anyone that lives in London, is registered to vote, is a British, Commonwealth or EU citizen and will be over 18 on May 3 can vote

LONDON MAYOR CANDIDATES

* Siobhan Benita - Independent

* Carlos Cortiglia - British National Party

* Boris Johnson - Conservatives

* Jenny Jones - Green Party

* Ken Livingstone - Labour

* Brian Paddick - Liberal Democrats

* Lawrence Webb - Fresh Choice for London

EALING AND HILLINGDON ASSEMBLY MEMBER CANDIDATES

* Richard Barnes - Conservatives

* Michael Cox - Liberal Democrats

* Ian Edward - National Front Putting Londoners First

* David Furness - British National Party

* Mike Harling - Green Party

* Helen Knight - Fresh Choice for London

* Onkar Sahota - Labour