VOTERS across most of Dorset go to the polls on Thursday to choose who should represent them at County Hall.

The Dorset County Council elections come at a time when the authority faces an unprecedented budget squeeze.

See who is standing in your area here

The county is one of 34 authorities holding elections across the country on the same day. Bournemouth and Poole are not due elections this year.

There are 188 candidates contesting the 45 seats in 42 divisions that are up for election in Dorset. Eleven serving councillors are standing down, including council leader Angus Campbell.

In common with most of the areas holding elections this year, Dorset is a traditional Conservative heartland.

The seats at stake were last contested in 2009, when Gordon Brown's Labour government was at its least popular, so the Tories will face an uphill battle to hold onto their position. Labour enjoys a double-digit lead in some national polls.

The Liberal Democrats have defied dismal poll ratings to make gains in council by-elections in recent months, mostly from the Conservatives.

But the Conservatives may be most worried from the threat posed by the United Kingdom Independence Party, which beat them to second place behind the Liberal Democrats at the recent Eastleigh by-election. UKIP is fielding candidates in every division in the Daily Echo's area.

Polling stations will be open from 7am-10pm.

Counts will take place that night at district councils across the county and the Daily Echo will be blogging live as the results come in.

A total of 2,449 seats are up for grabs in council polls across the country. There are also mayoral elections in Doncaster and North Tyneside, a number of council by-elections and a parliamentary by-election in South Sheilds prompted by the resignation of former Labour minister David Miliband.

CURRENT STATE OF THE PARTIES IN DORSET

  • Conservatives - 29 seats
  • Lib Dems - 14 seats
  • Labour - 1
  • Independent - 1 seat