The government will look closely at introducing new initiatives to lift voter turnout at the next general election following a series of pilots being used in tomorrow's local elections.

A wide range of initiatives - from full postal ballots to text and electronic voting - will be used across England tomorrow. In 13 councils full postal ballots will be held.

Local government secretary Stephen Byers said ministers would examine the voters' response to these before considering whether to extend any of the schemes to general elections.

But early figures show a mixed response amongst the public to the initiatives.

In Chorley, where a full postal ballot is being held, some 53 per cent of voters had returned their postal ballots by midday on Tuesday. This compares to a total turnout of just 32 per cent when the last council elections were held in the area.

Similar increases in turnout have also been seen in Gateshead and South Tyneside and Stevenage.

But in some areas voter response to the new initiatives had set alarm bells ringing. In the London borough of Hackney just 20 per cent had returned their ballots, compared to 34 per cent at the last London borough elections.

Byers said the disparity could be down to local factors, such as a delay in sending out ballot papers, but stressed that any moves to make greater use of postal ballots in future would rely upon "a cross-party consensus".

Labour Party chairman Charles Clarke said he was "optimistic" about a high turnout in Thursday's poll.

"In a large number of councils the election is on a knife-edge," he said, urging the public to use their votes.

Deputy prime minister John Prescott said turnout would be the critical factor in determining the outcome on Thursday.

"These elections are important and all campaigns come down to votes and turnout. It is not enough to support Labour, it is not enough to want more investment in our communities," he said.

"To make it happen you have to go out on polling day and cast your vote."