One year on from the general election that swept Labour from power voters return to the polls in a series of ballots including the referendum on changing the voting system.
Voters across England will be choosing local councillors with the control of 279 local authorities up for grabs.
In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland people will be asked to elect members to national Parliaments. Voters in Northern Ireland will also be electing 582 councillors.
There is a parliamentary by-election in Leicester South after the sitting MP, Labour's Peter Soulsby, stood down to run to be the city's first mayor – that election also takes place today.
City mayor contests are also taking place in Bedford, Middlesbrough, Mansfield and Torbay.
There are no elections in London but voters in the capital will join the nationwide referendum on ditching the first past the post electoral system in favour of the Alternative Vote.
Polls opened at 7am and will close at 10pm this evening. The results of local and national elections should be known later on tonight but the votes in the AV referendum will not be counted until 4pm Friday.
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