'We don't understand how to vote for Mayor'

It found that 30 per cent of voters did not know about the two-vote system while 27 per cent were aware of it but were uncertain how it worked.

Only 39 per cent of Londoners were clear about it and how the votes will be distributed.

Under the system, voters will be faced with three ballot papers on Thursday.

The first will be for the mayor with people having two votes - a first and second preference.

Voters must cast a first preference and can opt for a second one, which must be different from their first choice.

If, as expected, no candidate wins 50 per cent of first choice votes then all except the top two - likely to be Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone - will be eliminated.

The second choice votes of the knocked-out candidates will then be counted, but only if they are for one of the top two candidates.

In the event that nobody scores 50 per cent of the first preference vote, the second preferences will be added. The other two ballot papers are for the London Assembly - one is for the local candidate and the other for London-wide party preference. The Standard poll of 1,139 Londoners, taken between 23 and 25 April, shows a disturbing level of confusion. One in four Londoners did not know that an election for the London-Assembly was taking place on the same day. Among those who did, the poll found that 17 per cent thought they had just one vote for the assembly, rather than two.

Although 30 per cent knew exactly how the assembly system operated, a further 19 per cent were uncertain how it would work. Women were more confused about how to vote than men with 36 per cent saying they did not know how the system worked compared with 23 per cent of men.

Votes will be counted on Friday during the day - meaning that the result will be announced in the afternoon or early evening. Unlike in general elections and other local elections, there will be no recounts, as the system is electronic.

The only way any result can be challenged is by an application to the courts for a judicial review.

Concerns were raised last year over the electronic counting when the £4.5million contract to carry it out was awarded to a Spanish firm, which was involved in massive delays in two local election counts. Indra's computer system took four times longer than manual counting in the Norfolk polls.

I'M JUST GOING TO TURN UP AND TICK A BOX ...

DESPITE nearly two months of campaigning by mayoral candidates, Londoners were still confused and dumbfounded by the voting system today.

In an Evening Standard street poll, many people admitted they were unaware the Mayor was elected by the second preference system, with most unsure how the votes were counted. Others did not know that the London Assembly election was happening and no one was sure how Assembly members were selected.

Elizabeth Ryan, 29, project manager, from Holland Park: "I was just going to turn up on the day and tick a box. I didn't know about anything else. I didn't know there was a second vote and if I had I didn't know you couldn't vote for the same person twice.
"I certainly didn't know anything about the London Assembly vote. I don't know who my candidate is and whether I want them to represent me and I'm not sure about voting for just a party on one form."

Chris Blick, 25, advertising executive, from Bexleyheath: "I wasn't even sure if I would vote, and for someone like me it makes me less likely to because there's so much more to think about than simply who you would want to be Mayor.
"I was expecting one piece of paper but suddenly it's like an exam. I had no idea there was more than one election going on for a start and the one I did know about is actually more complicated than I thought."

Anna Taverner, 27, club floor manager, from Wandsworth: "Having so many forms is very confusing and while I can work out the mayoral one, I don't think I'd bother voting for the Assembly as I don't know who or what I'm voting for. But also I'm not even sure I know what the Assembly does. It honestly doesn't seem very important."

Fraser Carruthers, 25, nightclub manager: "I don't really think there's any point in a second preference vote as it just confuses people. It only works for people who want to have a conscience vote and show support for someone who can't possibly get in, then they can use their other vote for who they actually want."

Nick Cohen, 40, energy assessor, from Russell Square: "I'm a bit confused to see so many papers and don't understand why I'm expected to vote three times. On one paper there are two sets of boxes and the other two papers are just one. Why on earth are there two different votes for the London Assembly?"