Welsh Labour: How will Wales' next first minister get elected?

By mid-March we will know who will take over the Welsh government and become Wales' next first minister.

Vaughan Gething or Jeremy Miles are engaged in a contest to lead Welsh Labour, but unlike a Senedd election, only a small group of people get a say.

The pair have just a week before voters begin to make up their minds.

More than 100,000 people will be given a vote, but the number that take part is likely to be much smaller than that.

Most of us will remain bystanders as the Labour movement decides who should govern three million people.

Anyone who is a Labour member or a member of an organisation affiliated to the Labour Party - such as a trade union - can take part.

The party does not give updates on how many people are members of Welsh Labour, but sources put it at about 16,000 and there are thought to be about 100,000 people with an affiliate vote.

They could be members of the big unions like Unite, Unison and GMB, or smaller bodies such as the Musicians Union.

It includes members of sister organisations, like the Co-operative Party, or the Socialist Health Association.

Many of those organisations have endorsed candidates. Their organisation may provide a recommendation to their members on who they think they should back.

In reality, the proportion of affiliated members who actually vote is expected to be quite small.

The ballot opens on 16 February and closes on 14 March - those entitled to vote receive a letter which will give them a choice to vote either online or by post.

The candidate with the most votes will win, with everyone's votes counting equally.

That has not always been the case in Labour leadership elections - before Mark Drakeford's election in 2018 an electoral college was used, giving MPs and Members of the Senedd and affiliated groups a bigger say.

The result will be announced by Welsh Labour on 16 March.

They are banned from doing so.

It is not uncommon in the Labour Party for members to be involved in several organisations, all of which will be taking part in the contest.

In theory they could get several votes - if they do, they are not meant to use more than one.

BBC Wales was told that Labour had "various checks" to ensure the rule was not breached.

When the new Welsh Labour leader is elected they will not immediately become first minister, here is a whole process that has to take place.

Plans are not yet set in stone, but Mr Drakeford could well hold his final first minister's questions on 19 March.

He would then need to resign - Buckingham Palace would need to be informed - and then his replacement would need to be confirmed.

That is expected to take place on 20 March and there could be a roll call vote in the Senedd if opposition parties nominate their own leaders for the job.

But the maths in the Welsh Parliament mean that this would really be a formality.

What would you like to ask the candidates to be Wales' next first minister?

BBC Wales will be holding a special Welsh Labour leadership debate on 21 February.

Use this form to tell us what questions you would like to ask the leadership candidates Vaughan Gething and Jeremy Miles.