ELECTION: Voter turnout low in South Yorkshire crime tsar by-election

Shaun Wright's replacement will be announced today

Voter turnout for the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner election is likely to be lower than expected, early indications show.

As the count got underway across the county, Doncaster Council’s chief executive Jo Miller confirmed turnout in the town was 15.24 per cent - slightly lower than in the last election in 2012.

In Barnsley the turnout was 11.9 per cent.

Turnout figures for Rotherham and Sheffield have not yet been revealed.

There have been reports that fewer than 100 people turned out to some polling stations across the county.

The turnout is expected to be higher in Rotherham, following the child sex abuse scandal which forced the previous PCC Shaun Wright to stand down.

It had been hoped that turnout across the county would increase.

Resident Colin Pears who did vote, said: “My daughter and I were numbers 91 and 92 at our polling station with 10 minutes to go.”

Four candidates are vying for the post - David Allen for the English Democrats, Rev Dr Alan Billings, Labour, UKIP’s Jack Clarkson and Ian Walker, Conservative.

More results are expected from 11.30am.

Keep checking www.thestar.co.uk and follow political reporter Ellen Beardmore on Twitter @E_Beardmore for live updates.