SINCE 7am, Essex's electorate have been voting for who they think should serve them on Essex County Council.
At 10pm, the ballot boxes were emptied and transported to a district centre - in Colchester's case Charter Hall at Colchester Leisure World.
There, the votes will be counted. Results are expected to come in thick and fast throughout the early hours of Friday morning.
With 59 of the 75 seats countywide, the Conservatives would have to haemorrhage support to lose their grip on County Hall.
But with UKIP expected gain support up and down Essex and Labour hoping to win a flurry of seats, the Tory majority may drop.
Click on the following link to see the votes as they come in, and see below for updates from reporters at each count.
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