You decide on May 6

Tuesday May 4, 2010

The race for the keys to number ten is hotting up locally with just two days to go until polling day.

Hundreds of borough residents flocked to hustings in St Paul’s Church in Hammersmith last week to see prospective MPs for the Hammersmith parliamentary seat battle it out face-to-face.

While the candidates had heated exchanges on issues like crime, the economy, tax, housing, and the environment voters looked on and weighed up their options for May 6.

The battle for control of Hammersmith town hall and the parliamentary seat of Chelsea & Fulham is also reaching its climax with the final preparations for polling day being made by the council’s electoral services team.

More than 250 special election staff have been drafted to work through the night to count the votes of the two hotly contested parliamentary seats, according to the council.

Geoff Alltimes, H&F Chief Executive and Acting Returning Officer, says: “Our top election team is well prepared and raring to go. There is no doubt that it will be a long night and after the parliamentary seats are declared we will go on to count the 46 council seats the next morning.

“This is the coal face of local democracy in action and we are all very proud to be serving the voters of Hammersmith & Fulham.”

As a high-profile London borough the counts have already attracted media attention from regional, national and even international media. More than 30 journalists from a dozen organisations will attend the count in Hammersmith’s Assembly Hall on the night. David Dimbleby – who will host BBC One’s coverage on election night – is sending a crew of two cameras and seven people to film the H&F count live on the night.

Polling stations will open at 7am on May 6 and will close at 10pm. If no recounts are necessary, the council expects to declare both parliamentary seats by around 3.30am on Friday 7 with the count for the council elections starting at 10am and results for each ward coming through during the afternoon.

For a full list of candidates is available at www.lbhf.gov.uk/elections.