On Saturday The Northern Echo will publish results of its exclusive poll which will show the amount of support for Ray Mallon, the former policeman who is bidding to become Middlesbrough's first directly-elected mayor on May 2.
Nominations for candidates closed at noon today and now the campaign begins in earnest.
Given Robocop's high public profile, and that he has set himself against the ruling Labour Party, Middlesbrough is bound to be the highest profile mayoral contest of any in Britain. In The Northern Echo tomorrow, we take the first snapshot of opinion in the town.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article