Polling stations are open across Hertfordshire until 10pm today for elections to choose Hertfordshire county councillors.

The Comet: Polling stations close at 10pm this evening.Polling stations close at 10pm this evening. (Image: Archant)

There are also a number of district council and parish council seats up for grabs.

These local elections have been somewhat overshadowed since Theresa May announced the snap General Election a fortnight ago, but it’s an important chance to decide who represents you at county level.

County councils deal with everything from education, social services, and social care to our major roads and public transport systems.

The Conservative Party is looking to hold onto its overwhelming majority on Hertfordshire County Council with 46 seats on the council from a total of 77, while Labour and the Lib Dems will be hoping they can make gains with 15 and 16 seats respectively.

The council has had a Conservative majority continuously since the election of 2001.

You should have been sent a polling card with details of your nearest polling station.

If not, click here for more information.

There are also two seats – Shefford and Biggleswade North – being contested for the unitary authority of Central Bedfordshire Council, as well as a parish council election for Henlow.

Elections counts will be held overnight tonight and the results will be declared as soon as they have been counted. The first declarations are expected to be made from around 11.30pm.

The Comet team will be covering the results and posting on our website and via social media tomorrow morning.

The full list of seats being contested are listed below.

Herts County Council seats for

NORTH HERTS

• Hitchin North

Judi Billing (Lab); Barbara Clare (TUSC); Sam Collins (Lib Dem); David Leal-Bennett (Con); Mario May (Green).

• Hitchin Rural

David Barnard (Con); Mary Marshall (Green); Neill Sankey (Lab); Carol Stanier (Lib Dem).

• Hitchin South

Derrick Ashley (Con); Paul Clark (Lib Dem); Angela Griggs (Lab); Diana Newson (Green);

• Knebworth and Codicote

Richard Downey (Lab); Rebecca Leek (Green); Richard Thake (Con); Terry Tyler (Lib Dem).

• Baldock and Letchworth East

Brian Alderton (UKIP); Rosemary Bland (Green); Anne Holland (Lab); Michael Muir (Con); Richard Winter (Lib Dem).

• Letchworth North

Simon Bloxham (Con); Elizabeth Hancock (Green); Sean Prendergast (Lib Dem); Doug Swanney (Lab).

North Herts District Council seats for

HITCHIN

• Hitchin Priory ward

John Hefford (Lib Dem); Jacqueline McDonald (Independent); Raymond Shakespeare-Smith (Con); Des Stephens (Green); Dave Winstanley (Lab).

Herts County Council seats for

STEVENAGE

• Bedwell

Michelle Frith (Con); Mark Gentleman (TUSC); Andy McGuinness (Lib Dem); Victoria Snelling (Green Party);

Sharon Taylor (Lab).

• Broadwater

Michelle Gardner (Lab); Helen Kerr (TUSC); Adam Mitchell (Con); Richard Warr (Green); Thomas Wren (Lib Dem).

• Chells

Roger Charles (TUSC); Matthew Hurst (Con) Marion Mason (UKIP); Robin Parker (Lib Dem); Simon Speller (Lab).

• Old Stevenage

Joshua Bennett Lovell (Lab); Clive Hearmon (Lib Dem); Graham Lawrence (Con); Elizabeth Sturges (Green); Marilyn Yarnold-Forrester (UKIP).

• Shephall

Stephen Booth (Lib Dem); Jim Brown (Lab); Michael Hearn (Con); Mike Malocco (Green Party); Trevor Palmer (TUSC).

• St Nicholas

Amo Amato (UKIP); Phil Bibby (Con); Amber Gentleman (TUSC); Richard Henry (Lab);

Vicky Lovelace (Green); Graham Snell (Lib Dem).

Stevenage Borough Council seats for

STEVENAGE

• Roebuck ward

Monika Cherney-Craw (Lab); Alexander Farquharson (Con); Helen Kerr (TUSC); Martin Malocco (Green); Thomas Wren (Lib Dem).

Central Bedfordshire Council seats for

• Shefford

Mark Liddiard (Con); David Short (Lab); Roger Smith (UKIP); Annabel Woolmer (Lib Dem).

•Biggleswade North

Nigel Aldis (Lib Dem); Bernard Briars (Lab); Amy Peabody (Green); Bernard Rix (Independent); Duncan Strachan (UKIP); Steven Watkins (Con).

Parish council election for

• Henlow

Andy Campbell; Debbie Horner.