Rutland and Stamford residents are heading to the polling booths to vote today.

The UK general election is taking place today, Thursday 4 July,

Polling stations for the general election will open at 7am and do not close until 10pm. Polling station addresses are printed on individual poll cards.

Voters can also find details of polling stations online. 

You do not need to have your poll card with you to vote in person at a polling station. However, you must bring a valid form of photo ID or Voter Authority Certificate.  

Information about which forms of identification are valid for voting can be found on the Electoral Commission website. 

Rutland and Stamford constituents who have received a postal ballot pack but are too late to return it via Royal Mail can hand-deliver it to an authorised member of staff at Rutland County Council's Catmose offices in Oakham (LE15 6HP). This can be done during normal office until 4:30pm on polling day, Thursday 4 July.

Following a change to the law, anyone returning a postal vote by hand must deliver it to an authorised person, who will help to complete a return form. Please speak to a member of staff in Rutland County Council's Customer Self Service area or call: 01572 720 954 if no one is present when you arrive. 

If you return your postal vote through the Council's letter box or leave it in the Customer Self Service area without completing a separate return form, it will be rejected. By law, you can only hand in your own postal vote and those of up to five other people.

Postal voters can also return their postal ballots to a polling station between 7am and 10pm on polling day, Thursday 4 July. Anyone choosing this option will need to complete a return form with the Presiding Officer for their postal vote to be accepted.

Postal voters needing a replacement postal ballot must contact Rutland County Council first, so that officers can prepare the ballot and provide confirmation when it is ready to be collected. Final collection will be 5pm on Thursday 4 July. 

For more information about the UK general election, including details of candidates standing in the Rutland and Stamford Constituency, please visit: www.rutland.gov.uk/elections. 

Oakham Nub News will be keeping you updated as the results come in, so keep your eyes on us for the latest updates on Rutland and Stamford's political future.