Voters are heading to the polls to elect Folkestone and Hythe’s MP and new district, town and parish councillors.

Polling stations across the district are open until 10pm and the parliamentary count takes place tonight with a result expected at around 4am.

We'll have live coverage from the count via KentOnline.co.uk and the Folkestone & Hythe Express twitter account - just follow @FHExpress or use #KentDecides.

For a full round-up of all you need to know click here and relive some of the more memorable moments and our political editor Paul Francis gives his take on the campaign trail.

In one of the closest elections for decades nationally, the Conservatives and Labour are battling it out in the marginal seats while there is every chance some seats may turn the purple of Ukip.

The party hopes Folkestone and Hythe will be one of them after earmarking it as one of its major gain targets early in the campaign trail.

But the expenses scandal involving original candidate Janice Atkinson, which saw her expelled from the party and replaced by former Labour group leader on Ashford Borough Council, Harriet Yeo, may have jolted its chances in the ballot box.

Incumbent Conservative candidate Damian Collins will be hoping to retain his seat in which he holds a 10,122 majority and in a constituency where the Tories have never lost since its formation in 1950.

However, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens all have strong local candidates.

Claire Jeffrey (Lab) is standing for the constituency where grew up and also attended Folkestone School for Girls.

Lynne Beaumont (Lib Dem) has been a vociferous campaigner at both town and district level as a councillor and says it “would be the greatest honour” to represent the constituency in Westminster.

Green candidate Martin Whybrow is looking to become only the party’s second MP and currently represents Hythe as a county councillor at County Hall.

They are joined by left-wing candidates Seth Cruse of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition and Andy Thomas of the Socialist Party of Great Britain. Dr Rohen Kapur will represent the Young People’s Party.

In the Shepway District Council elections, the number of seats available has shrunk from 46 to 30 and the number of wards will fall from 22 to 13. The council is dominated by the Conservatives who currently hold 40 seats, while Ukip and People First have two each and the Liberal Democrats have one.

The district and town and parish election count will be held on Saturday and you can keep up to date with all the movers and shakers in exactly the same way as the general election.

There are 58 polling stations throughout the district open from 7am to 10pm. Folkestone has 16 including the Town Hall and Folkestone Academy while Hythe has eight including the football club.

A full list is available at www.shepway.gov.uk and details will be on voters' polling cards.