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The Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mike Nesbitt has cast his vote in Gilnahirk in the east of Belfast. Mr Nesbitt isn't standing for election to Westminster. He's a member of the Northern Ireland assembly

Norman Smith
Assistant political editor

It's been a frenetic month for the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s political journalists. Now, on polling day - with the ´óÏó´«Ã½ unable to report any political news - there's a brief period of respite.

The ´óÏó´«Ã½'s assistant political editor, Norman Smith says: "I will spend Thursday slumped in a deckchair in the garden (hopefully in the sunshine) swotting up on seats and key contests to watch. Exam revision sort of thing. Then early evening Family Smith will head off to vote."

"I’ll watch the top of the Ten o’clock News then go to bed for three or four hours."

Norman will be at work at 0330 and broadcasting on Radio 4 from 0500.

In Darlington, the council says about 89 ballot papers at one polling station .

The ´óÏó´«Ã½'s head of statistics, Anthony Reuben, has been crunching the numbers on voter registration. A new system - individual voter registration - has been introduced. It replaces the old system where the "head of the household" registered everyone living at the property. Fears about people "falling off" the register prompted a big drive to get people to put their names down. The Electoral Commission estimates that there are now

Image source, Mid Suffolk Council

As polling stations go, they don't get much smaller than this caravan parked in the Suffolk village of Kenton. Clerk Simon Stoner waits for voters.

Image source, Lori Smith

Voters have been braving the polling station at the Greenwich Heritage Centre at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich - despite the tank.

For the first time, there's be a dedicated helpline for anyone with a learning disability who has questions about voting or experiences any difficulties. Research by the learning disability charity Mencap shows that with learning disabilities didn't register to vote for the 2010 election because they found it too difficult to do so. So for this election, the charity has set up a helpline. The number is 020 7696 5588.

Image source, PA

Awaiting news of the election results - Larry the Downing Street cat is moved from his step by a police sniffer dog.

Image source, PA

In Northern Ireland, the SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell went to the polling station, at St Bride's primary school in Belfast with his wife Olivia and daughter Aileen.

There until the polls close at 2200 BST tonight. The ´óÏó´«Ã½ TV's election night programme, which starts at 21:55 BST, will be fronted by David Dimbleby. The programme will start with the results of a joint ´óÏó´«Ã½, ITV and Sky exit poll. There'll be live coverage from 220 counts.

Did you miss the party leaders casting their votes earlier? Here's a quick of the morning's footage

Image source, PA

There are lots of photographs doing the rounds of dogs patiently waiting for their owners outside polling stations. Judith Preston here, in Doncaster, chose to take her lamb Beth with her instead.

An army of election officials across Britain are gearing up for a long and busy night. Sheffield City Council, for example, is hoping to avoid a repeat of 2010 when latecomers to polling stations were turned away. This time around there are more polling stations and there's been more training for staff. All the ballot boxes for Sheffield's six constituencies will be taken to the city's English Institute of Sport. The council has employed plenty of ballot counters, many of whom are used to "accounting under pressure" - such as former bank workers. Everyone present at the count will have been security vetted.

No new opinion polls can be published on election day. But you can explore to see how the parties have fared across the whole of the current parliament – and how close the most recent polls have been.

What if no-one wins the election? Who gets first chance to form the government in a hung parliament? What is the difference between a coalition and confidence and supply? Find out more and in our election game.

Image source, Thinkstock

There should be nothing to stop people with disabilities casting their votes today, the Electoral Commission says. Returning officers have been told to ensure that voting is accessible to all and that polling station staff have been trained on how to help voters with disabilities. Anyone with queries about voting can call the public information line on 0333 103 1928.

Image source, AP

In Belfast, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party Peter Robinson has cast his vote at a polling station in Dundonald Elim Church. Mr Robinson isn't standing for a seat at Westminster. He is First Minister of Northern Ireland.

Image source, Getty

One voter arrives in style at a polling station in Bramshill, Hampshire. The station is actually someone's house.

The polling booths are open from 7am until 10pm. But the Electoral Commission is urging the 50 million people eligible to vote not to leave it to the last minute. There were angry scenes at some polling stations in the 2010 general election when some voters were turned away.

The law was changed in 2013 to clarify the rules. So anyone who arrives at the polling station before 10pm - and is still waiting to vote at 10pm - is allowed to vote.