Polls are open for by-elections to elect three new councillors.

Voters in Rochester East and Warren Wood and Gillingham South have the chance to elect three new councillors to Medway Council.

The seats became available in December after the Towns’ three Labour MPs, Lauren Edwards, Tristan Osborne and Naushabah Khan, stepped down from their roles at the authority.

Nominations for candidates closed on January 10 and the full list was published on January 13.

For Rochester East and Warren Wood, two seats are available as Lauren Edwards, MP for Rochester and Strood, and Tristan Osborne, MP for Chatham and Aylesford, both represented the area on Medway Council.

For the Labour Party, Carolyn Hart, a writer and former lecturer and trade union activist, and Robert Wyatt, a former headteacher who lived in the ward for over 20 years, are standing.

The Conservative Party has nominated George Clarke, a digital communications officer and charity campaigner, and Tolga Sirlan, a geophysical engineer who runs a local business.

The Liberal Democrats have selected Anita Holloway, a legal administrator in a private firm in Rochester, and Sarah Manuel, head of professional standards for Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, two Rochester residents, as their candidates.

For the Green Party, Doug Bray, who lives in Rochester and works at BAE Systems, and Jeremy Spyby-Steanson, a long-time activist for the party, will be standing.

Reform UK has nominated John Vye, a member of the Cuxton Parish Council, and David Finch, an IT developer with 30 years in the technology industry, to stand.

The Heritage Party has selected Peter Burch, who also stood for the Rochester and Strood parliamentary seat at the general election in July.

There will also by a by-election for Gillingham South, which became vacant after Naushabah Khan, MP for Gillingham and Rainhaim, stepped down.

Labour has put forward Liubov Nestorova, a local business owner who operates a delivery company.

The Conservative Party has nominated Saboor Ahmed, a local resident and restaurant owner.

The Liberal Democrat candidate is long-time member and activist Onyx Rist, who is a volunteer at Fort Amherst.

Trish Marchant is standing for the Green Party, a healthcare engineer who previously worked at Medway hospital as energy manager.

Reform UK has nominated Rizvi Rawoof, who stood for the parliamentary Gillingham and Rainham seat at the general election, coming third.

Peter Wheeler is standing on behalf of the Social Democratic Party, having been their candidate for the Gillingham and Rainham seat in the general election in July.

The Heritage Party candidate for Gillingham South is Roshan Bhunnoo.

Polling stations in the wards are open until 10pm for residents to cast their votes.

Then the process of counting ballots will begin at Medway Park, Gillingham.