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uk general elections

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UK voters are going to the polls for the third general election in less than five years.

Polling stations in 650 constituencies across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland opened at 07:00 GMT.

After the polls close at 22:00 GMT, counting will begin straight away. Most results are due to be announced in the early hours of December 13.

A total of 650 lawmakers will be chosen under the first-past-the-post system used for general elections, in which the candidate who secures the most votes in each individual constituency is elected.

In 2017, Newcastle Central was the first constituency to declare, announcing its result about an hour after polls closed.

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Elections in the UK traditionally take place every four or five years. However, in October, lawmakers voted for the second snap poll in as many years. It is the first winter election since 1974 and the first to take place in December since 1923.

Anyone aged 18 or over is eligible to vote, as long as they are a British citizen or qualifying citizen of the Commonwealth or Republic of Ireland and have registered to vote. Registration closed on November 26.

People do not need a polling card to be able to vote but will need to give their name and address at their local polling station. People can only vote for one candidate or their ballot paper will not be counted.

PM Boris Johnson has cast his vote – he visited a polling station in central London, taking his dog, Dilyn, along with him, and Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn voted in north London.

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage has used a postal vote.

Many people have already put a cross next to the name of their favored candidate by voting by post – more than seven million people used a postal vote two years ago.

Voting is under way in the UK at more than 40,000 polling stations across the country.

Polls opened at 07:00 BST on June 8, with counting starting once voting ends at 22:00 BST.

A total of 650 Westminster lawmakers will be elected, with about 46.9 million people registered to vote.

That is up from the last general election, in 2015, when there were 46.4 million registered voters.

Some votes have already been cast, through postal voting, which accounted for 16.4% of the total electorate at the 2015 general election. People with an undelivered postal vote can still deliver it by hand to their local polling station.

Two years ago, when the Conservatives won 331 out of 650 seats, overall turnout was 66.4%, up from 2010.

Most polling stations are in schools, community centers and parish halls, but pubs, a launderette and a school bus have been used in the past.

Police have increased security at polling stations, including patrols by armed officers in some areas, following the recent terror attacks.

A handful of seats are expected to be declared by midnight, with the final results expected on June 9.

Unusually, no local elections are taking place at the same time, so results might come through earlier than in recent general elections.

In 2015, the first seat to declare was Houghton and Sunderland South, at 22:48 BST.

To form a majority in the House of Commons one party must win 326 seats – in 2015 a Conservative majority was not confirmed until 13:34 BST.

Polls close at 22:00 BST, but officials say anyone in a polling station queue at this time should be able to cast their vote.