Vote Begin to Cast for 2015 Election
Millions of people across the UK have begun to cast their vote in what is being seen as the closest General Election of its kind.
Polls opened early, at 07:00 BST, at approximately 50,000 polling stations. They will remain open until 22:00.
A total of 650 Westminster MPs will be elected with more than 9,000 council seats being contested.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage, Labour leader Ed Miliband, Greens leader Natalie Bennett, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon and Conservative leader David Cameron have already cast their votes.
Some votes had been cast before Thursday through postal voting, which accounted for 15% of the total electorate at the 2010 general election, when the overall turnout was 65%.
For the first time, people have been able to register to vote online. An estimated 50,000 people are set to vote.
Amid concerns about the number of people who are not currently on the electoral register, campaigning bodies such as Operation Black Vote (OBV) highlighted the value of the vote and how to register. Those groups particularly under-represented on the voter register are young adults and people from Black minority ethnic (BME) communities.
Research by the Electoral Commission shows that 76 per cent of BME people are currently registered to vote, ten per cent less than white people.
To find your local constituency, visit: http://www.voterpower.org.uk/
