by political editor Paul Francis

The number of people likely to vote in the general election across the county looks set to soar after a late surge in people registering for votes.

Returning officers are also reporting signficant increases in people requesting postal votes and hundreds of new requests since the campaign got under way, suggesting turnout across the county is likely to rise.

The upward trend appears to confound predictions that turnout could drop amid voter apathy and anger caused by the expenses scandal.

Changes to voter registration rules have meant people have been able to apply for votes in the first 11 days of the campaign. Previously, people had only been able to register up until the election was called.

Late requests for voter registration is said to be high among 18-24-year-olds, according to the Electoral Commission.

The increase is not just confined to the county's key marginal constituencies with rises reported across the board.

Medway council says it has had 27,578 requests for postal votes in the three constituencies it is responsible for: Gillingham and Rainham; Rochester and Strood and Chatham and Aylesford.

In Dartford - Kent's bellweather seat and a Labour marginal - the council said it had received 900 requests for postal votes in the run-up to Tuesday's deadline and a further 700 late registrations. In total, it said about 13,000 postal votes had been asked for.

Maidstone council said it had received 1,400 requests for postal votes since the campaign began on April 6 and that in total, 17,807 people had sought postal votes - 3,301 more than in 2005.

Tonbridge and Malling council - which covers the county's safest Conservative seat - said it received about 1,300 requests for postal votes in the last few days before Tuesday's deadline to register and that in total, it had received 10,000 postal vote requests - 2,159 more than in 2005.

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In Sittingbourne and Sheppey - one of two of the county's so-called "super-marginals" - Swale council said the electorate increased by 17 per cent, with 9,529 postal votes requested compared to 6,429 in 2005.

In Ashford, the council has reported an increase of nearly 3,000 in postal vote application, rising to 11,517 compared to 8,584 in 2005.

Shepway council said there had been a 26 per cent increase in requests for postal votes, rising from 9,764 in 2005 to 12,802 for the forthcoming election.

The council covers the Folkestone and Hythe constituency which Conservative Michael Howard is vacating after 27 years.

Meanwhile, Canterbury City Council said it had receieved 8,805 applications for postal votes.

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AT the 2005 general election, turnout in Kent ranged from just under 60 per cent to nearly 69 per cent.

The highest turnout figure was 68.4 per cent in Folkestone and Hythe, where the seat was defended by the then Conservative leader Michael Howard.

This was followed by Dover at 67.6 per cent and Tonbridge and Malling at 67.3 per cent.

The lowest was in Chatham and Aylesford, at 59.7per cent.