GO out and use your vote. That's our message to all our readers today, Election Day.

Polling stations throughout the district opened at 7am and will close at 10pm.

Our message to you is that people in this country not so long ago fought and died for freedom. They struggled to secure the vote for ordinary men and women, not just property owners and the rich.

Though politics and electioneering may seem boring to some of you now, the only reason we can be bored is because we all have the right to vote, and vote in secret without fear of repercussions from people whose views we do not share.

We would not be bored if our life was under threat for voting the wrong way. So three cheers for boredom.

There are four parliamentary seats being contested today in this area; Wycombe, Beaconsfield, Chesham and Amersham and Aylesbury. They were all won by the Conservatives in 1997, but with greatly reduced majorities, while in the rest of the country Labour was enjoying a landslide.

The closest contest today is in Wycombe, where the Tories are defending a majority of just over 2,000 and where Labour feels it has a good chance of success. Elsewhere the majorities range from 8,000 to 14,000.

But no matter who you support, you do not have to feel that it does not matter how you vote. Someone will be returned to parliament tomorrow and if you have not had your say you have not taken part in the democratic process.

As well as the three main candidates, Lib Dem, Conservative and Labour, there are United Kingdom Independence Party candidates in each constituency, Greens in Wycombe, and Chesham and Amersham, an Independent in Wycombe and a Pro Life Alliance candidate in Chesham and Amersham.

Also, when you go to the polling station, you will be choosing the person to represent you on Buckinghamshire County Council for the next four years. You will have a white ballot paper for the general election and peach for the county. People in Great Marlow can choose a Wycombe District councillor using a grey ballot paper.

You can get our election results special on Friday FREE from:

J&D, Marlow

Balfour, Marlow

Esso, Marlow

Esso, Cressex

Asda, Booker

Forbuoys, Cressex

Freeman, Desborough Road

Octagon News, HW

Safeways, HW

Sainsbury, HW

Hilbornes, West Wycombe

Del Buoys, Stokenchurch

Tesco, Risborough

Forbuoys, Risborough

Alldays, Naphill

Stars, Cosy Corner

Stars, Rose Avenue

Forbuoys, Hazlemere

Walsh, Holmer Green

Prestwood PO

Samways, Gt Missenden

Tesco, Amersham

Terry RM, Amersham

Bulldog, Chesham

Sainsbury, Chesham

Old Post House, Chalfont St Giles

Forbuoys, Gerrards Cross

Sainsbury, Beaconsfield

Forbuoys, Beaconsfield

One Stop, Beaconsfield

One Stop, Wooburn Green

Corner Shop, Bourne End

Unit Four, Flackwell Heath

Forbuoys, Loudwater

Tesco, Loudwater

Bucks Free Press offices