Afternoon:
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Europe casts its vote
4 Jun 2009Polling stations are open today between 7am and 10pm.
Voters do not need their polling cards but must ensure they were on the electoral register before 19 May to be eligible.
The elections are to select 72 British MEPs for the European Parliament.
Voters go to the polls across the 27 EU member countries to elect 736 MEPs in total.
Ballots are cast for a party rather than an individual candidate.
Elections are simultaneously being held for councillors in 34 local authority areas in England.
There are a record number of parties standing at this year's European elections representing a broad political spectrum.
The European Parliament is the only directly elected EU body so it is the only chance for the public to influence legislation coming out of Brussels.
A vote can also carry more weight as the European Parliament uses proportional representation rather than a first-past-the-post system.
The result will also affect the standing of the main British parties domestically if there is a swing to the Right or Left in Europe.
