Kent voters head to the polls for the 2024 general election

Voters across Kent are heading to the polls today after weeks of campaigning.

Rishi Sunak announced the general election on May 22 outside Downing Street.

Since then, hopeful politicians have taken part in hustings, campaigned on the doorstep and welcomed political heavyweights to the county trying to attract the votes of the electorate.

Millions of people will cast their vote between 7am and 10pm, with opinion polls suggesting Labour is on course to secure a big majority in the House of Commons and form a new government.

After a rule change last year, everyone must have a form of photo ID with them when they cast their votes. See a list of acceptable forms of ID here.

Anyone in the queue at 10pm will be allowed to cast their votes before the polls close.

It’s at this time the exit polls will be published which will offer the first clue of how the night will unfold.

These take place at polling stations across the country, with tens of thousands of people asked to privately fill in a replica ballot as they leave, to get an indication of how they voted.

The first results usually come in from constituencies in the north east of England from around 11.30pm.

In 2019, the first Kent result was Folkestone and Hythe at 2.03am, but this year the results aren’t predicted to be called until around 3am.

Here is the full list of predicted declaration times for the 18 constituencies in Kent:

Ashford 4.30am

Canterbury 3am

Chatham & Aylesford 6am

Dartford 4am

Dover & Deal 3.30am

Faversham & Mid Kent 4.30am

Folkestone & Hythe 2.45am

Gillingham & Rainham 5am

Gravesham 4.30am

Herne Bay & Sandwich 5.30am

Maidstone & Malling 4.30am

Rochester & Strood 5am

Sevenoaks 4am

Sittingbourne & Sheppey 4am

Thanet East 3am

Tonbridge 5.30am

Tunbridge Wells 4.30am

Weald of Kent 4.30am

KentOnline will be bringing you all of the latest results and reaction from every count after the polls close at 10pm this evening.

KMTV will be showing live coverage all night on KentOnline Freeview channel 7 and Virgin Media channel 159.

Listen to all the latest reaction on kmfm and to our special Kent Politics Podcast after the result on Friday.