Today the country goes to the polls. Well, some of the country goes to the polls.
Voter turnout has been declining for decades. Predicting results is never easy but it is a fair bet turnout will be low for these local elections.
It is likely that Boris Johnson will be re-elected as Mayor London. Ken Livingstone's campaign has imploded further with three Labour peers casting doubt on his abilities.
It is also likely that the Lib Dems take a beating. Labour probably won't do as well as they would like while still declaring a victory. The Conservatives won't do brilliantly but better than expected.
What will be interesting is how well UKIP do, especially in London. Some polls are predicting they will do well yet they don't get that much media coverage. Will a wave of disillusionment carry them to win local seats? The polling hasn't been conclusive enough to know one way or another. In the past we have seen speculation over a third party and in the end success hasn't materialised.
By the weekend, with the results in, the analysis can begin in earnest. There will also be plenty of speculation about what it all means for the general election in 2015.
