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Over the next couple of days, millions of Britons will receive leaflets urging them to vote in a poll which will shape the top of UK policing.
More than 20 million leaflets are being posted to the British public in an effort to raise awareness of the forthcoming police and crime commissioner elections, which take place in November.
The newly-elected police and crime commissioner (PCC) will replace the current police authority in 41 areas.
But despite leaflets and a gritty government TV advert claiming it will be 'a vote which could make a real difference to your community', experts have predicted that fewer than one in five will turn out to vote.
So what will the PCCs actually do and how will their role be different from that of the police authority?
WHAT POWERS WILL PCCs HAVE?
The PCCs will be responsible for setting priorities for each police force, as well as overseeing its budget, and hiring and dismissing chief constables.
Each position will come with a salary of between £65,000 and £100,000 a year, although successful candidates do not have to have direct policing experience.
Although operational responsibility for day-to-day policing will remain with senior officers, the government say the PCC will 'ensure your police focus on tackling the crimes which matter to you most'.
The government say the PCCs will not 'run' the police force, but will 'regularly meet with the public to help set police and crime plans'.
Policing officials will tell voters that the new role will create a stronger link between forces and the public.
Home Secretary Theresa May told Sky News: "Police authorities at the moment have no democratic mandate to do this job of overseeing the police.
"The Police and crime commissioner will for the first time have a democratic mandate from the people to do this."
While PCCs will doubtless be keen to take credit for any positive crime figures revealed during their tenure, the new role means a single politician can be held to account for rising crime statistics.
WHO HAS APPLIED?
Candidates who apply to be elected as PCCs have to stump up a £5,000 deposit - £4,500 more than the amount required for general election candidates.
Political campaign experts have estimated that a concerted effort at being elected would likely cost any candidate around £50,000 - and even then it's 'doing it on the cheap'.
Critic: Former Met Police head Sir Ian Blair urged people not vote in the elections (PA)The higher cost for running has led some small party or independent candidates to pull out of the election race because they can't afford it.
Those who put themselves forward only get their £5,000 deposit back if they secure 5 per cent of the vote.
Ministers say they want candidates from a 'variety of backgrounds' to run in the elections, although candidates from the three major political parties make up many of those running.
The Conservatives have fielded candidates in most regions, while Labour, who were originally against the idea of PCCs, have since done the same.
The Lib Dems, however, have only put forward a handful of candidates so far.
This has led to critics claiming that the whole process is geared against independent candidates, as those from the major parties invariably get the support of their local MP.
Counter terrorism expert Colin Skelton, an independent standing in Wiltshire, told the BBC: "The government did make a big show about wanting independent candidates, but the whole business of this is very bureaucratic and it's a big financial cost."
WILL THEY WORK?
Support for the idea of PCCs has been mixed, with criticism of the policy even coming from former senior officers.
The new PCCs will have to swear an 'oath of impartiality' and will be expected to serve all sections of the public in England and Wales 'without fear or favour'.
Those elected will also have to 'take all steps' to present maximum transparency and accountability in their office.
However, this hasn't stopped Sir Ian Blair, the former head of the Metropolitan Police, from calling for the public to 'boycott' the elections on November 15.
He believes policing areas are too large for the public to engage with, and that the role of PCC was 'ill-conceived'.
He told the Sky News Murnaghan Programme: "I've never said this before but I actually hope people don't vote because that is the only way we are going to stop this.
"If they were going to break policing up, do it in a completely different way, small cities and small towns, perfect. But that is not what you have got.
"This is just a very strange issue to come forward with at such a difficult time for the country."
From:Yahoo News.
[The bold type in my emphasis]