Croydon candidates hold breath as election polls close (From Croydon Guardian)

Croydon candidates hold breath as election polls close

10:51pm Thursday 6th May 2010

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As the polling stations close across Croydon, the borough waits to see who will become its next Members for Parliament.

The counting began at 10pm at Trinity School in Shirley, with more than 500 people sifting through the ballot papers for the election.

Croydon is running the largest operation in London, with more candidates and more registered voters than any other borough.

Counters at Trinity School will work in two shifts to ensure accuracy.

There are three MP seats being contested tonight – North, South and Central – 24 council wards with 70 seats fought by 284 candidates.

There are 251,000 registered voters across the borough, with 147 polling stations including 53 churches, 43 community halls and 40 schools being used.

More than 31,000 postal votes have been registered and election officials are expecting a high number of voters for the election to rival 2005’s 60 per cent turnout.

Labour’s Malcolm Wicks in Croydon North and Conservative Richard Ottaway in Croydon South are not expected to lose their seats tonight but all eyes are on marginal seat Croydon Central.

Incumbent MP Andrew Pelling, a former Conservative, is standing as an independent against old friend Gavin Barwell leaving Labour’s Gerry Ryan expected to win due to the split Tory vote.

Keep up to date with the latest results at croydonguardian.co.uk.