These elections are important for transgender people as it could affect how the police deal with hate crimes in your local area.  So far there is a sense of total apathy towards these elections and so it is likely that only a small number of people could be voting in the area of your police authority - so your vote could be crucial in who gets elected and what the policy and priority is given towards transphobic hate crime.

Now that the list of applicants has been published for all police authority areas (See here for the list), I would urge you to send an email to each candidate in your area asking them what their policy is towards hate crime and transphobic hate crime in particular and how they would prioritise this.

I have published the questions which I posed to all the candidates in my area (Devon and Cornwall Police Authority) on my blog and their responses on a there which you can access by visiting my blog at:- http://caroluren.blogspot.co.uk/p/police-and-crimes-commissioner.html

This post was edited by Former Member at October 30, 2012 7:58 PM GMT

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This post was edited by Former Member at April 11, 2013 5:59 PM BST

Thank you Carol. Like Nicola I am none the wiser having read the candidates views. I wonder whether will get a meaningful response or indeed any response to my queries........ If not do I abstain as a protest?

I have had just three responses from the ten candidates standing in my area to date and their responses range from one candidate who didn't even know what transphobia was (well at least he was brave enough to admit it) to the only female candidate who seemed to have her fingers on the pulse. None of the other 7 candidates have deemed it necessary to respond to my request for their views so far. You can see their replies in my blog, I know it doesn't help you much in your search for the ideal candidate in your own area, but it should give you an idea of what to expect.

What is extremely depressing is that of the ten candidates who are standing for this position, only three have actually bothered to respond - and two of those showed little understanding of hate crime and transphobic hate crime in particular.  It is now over 2 weeks ago since I wrote to each candidate and with the elections being just three days away now, I doubt if any of the other candidates will be bothered to respond.  With this in mind, I will be voting for Nicky Williams as she has an understanding of the situation and is willing to work with minority groups to help stamp out hate crime in the Devon and Cornwall Police Authority area and I would urge other people to do so too.

This post was edited by Former Member at November 12, 2012 4:07 PM GMT

Sadly I received no response from either of the candidates in my area and hence I registered my disappointment with a spoiled vote.........