It’s voting day! And while today is about making your mark, we also want to talk about what happens once the voting stations close. We’ve heard the promises, seen the posters and had the debates. But tomorrow, we still need water, working streetlights, rubbish collection and roads we can safely drive on.

So how does the choice you make on your ballot become a decision that affects your neighbourhood? There’s a whole process between casting our votes and a council getting to work. Who becomes mayor? What happens if no party wins an outright majority? And while parties negotiate, who keeps things running? Then comes the question of delivery. We can’t expect every pothole to disappear overnight, but how long is reasonable to wait for progress? And if nothing changes, who do we approach — and how do we make sure we’re heard?