General election 2019: Voters head to the polls today

Polling is predicting the Conservative Party will gain a small overall majority but the latest findings by YouGov have shown this to be gradually falling in recent days.

In Dorset and the New Forest, all ten constituencies are expected to be won by Conservative candidates with a shock result looking unlikely.

Published on Tuesday night, the result of its most recent MRP modelling forecasted a 28-seat overall majority for the party.

Its findings are based on interviews with about 100,000 people over the past week – an average of only about 150 voters per constituency.

But it takes into account historic voting habits and demographics in a bid to be more accurate.

Chris Curtis, YouGov political research manager, said: "Our latest and final poll shows that a small Conservative majority is likely, with the Tories taking 22 more seats than in 2017 and Labour losing 31.

"This would be the best and worst results respectively for each party since the 80s.

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"But the margins are extremely tight and small swings in a small number of seats, perhaps from tactical voting and a continuation of Labour's recent upward trend, means we can't currently rule out a hung parliament.”

It is predicting comfortable wins for all of the Conservative candidates in Dorset and the New Forest with none expected to receive less than 50 per cent of the overall vote.

The narrowest margin is in Mid Dorset and North Poole where Liberal Democrat candidate Vikki Slade, the leader of BCP Council, is on track for 37 per cent to Conservative Michael Tomlinson’s 54 per cent.

Labour’s Joanne Oldale is on course for six per cent with three per cent of the vote predicted to go to Green Party candidate Natalie Carswell.

Polling stations open at 7am and close at 10pm with votes being counted during the night.

For all our election coverage, see bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/general-election