Stuart Tinworth
BBC News, Surrey Heath

Image source, BBC/Stuart Tinworth

The stage is set and could we be heading for a Liberal Democrat victory here? Well – that’s certainly the feeling from some tonight.

The exit poll suggests this seat could be turning from blue to yellow for the first time in its history - a feeling echoed by people I’ve been speaking to on the ground.

Michael Gove has held this seat for nearly 20 years. But he stood down in May, which means whatever the result here overnight, Surrey Heath will have a brand new MP.

Gove was first elected here in 2005, and last election won with a majority of 18,349, but he was one of a wave of high profile candidates who announced he was not to stand this time around.

This time it’s been targeted by the Liberal Democrats and Al Pinkerton. Has he done enough to win people over?

The voter turnout is 67% and we will find out the result at around 04:30 BST.

Image source, Getty Images

Turnout has varied widely across the South East, with most constituencies reporting lower figures than 2019.

Here are the figures we have so far:

Bognor & Littlehampton - 61.93%

Ashford - 62%

Weald of Kent - 67%

Bexhill & Battle - 66%

Guildford - 68.6%

Gravesham - 59.3%

Canterbury - 66.7%

Tunbridge Wells - 69.2%

Hastings & Rye - 60.81%

East Surrey - 67.5%

East Thanet - 57.26%

Dorking & Horley - 70%

Sittingbourne & Sheppey 51.97%

Dover & Deal - 63%

Maidstone & Malling - 60.86%

Rochester & Strood - 57.5%

Chatham & Aylesford - 54.5%

Tonbridge - 69%

Esher & Walton - 74.2%

Eastbourne - 63%

Jack Fiehn
BBC Surrey Political reporter

Image source, Jack Fiehn/BBC

A Labour figure has told me it is “tight” between Jeremy Hunt and his Liberal Democrat opponent, Paul Follows.

There are around 70 journalists here to cover the election, showing just how much interest there is in whether Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will keep his seat.

Counting has begun with a turnout of 72.3%.

Callum French
BBC News, Reigate

Image source, BBC/Callum French

The night is well under way here at the Donyings Leisure Centre in Redhill for the Reigate constituency count. Most of the counting staff have returned from their breaks and sorting has begun. The returning officer has let us know that there was a turnout of 69%. This means 53,360 votes have been cast today. The mood in the auditorium is generally high spirited. However, you can start to see the nerves beginning to show for the various party teams, who are wandering around peeking over shoulders.

Spoilt and unmarked papers are being verified by representatives of each candidate.

Stuart Tinworth
BBC News, Surrey Heath

Image source, BBC/Stuart Tinworth

It's an anxious wait now here at Surrey Heath and the Camberley Theatre - the bar was due to close any moment and the counting is underway in earnest.

Whatever happens here tonight, Surrey Heath will have a new MP.

Michael Gove, who was MP here for nearly 20 years, stood down in May.

Al Pinkerton, the Liberal Democrat candidate, has yet to be spotted here tonight - but the feeling is he might take the seat.

It has been a Conservative stronghold since its inception in 1997. The stage could be set for a historic victory in Camberley.

Simon Jenkins
BBC News, Dorking

Image source, BBC/Simon Jenkins

In Dorking and Horley, the Conservatives have a nice selection of homemade cakes, but local party chairman, Paul Austin told me: "I'm not enjoying this night at all!"

Jack Fiehn
Political reporter, BBC Surrey

BBC Surrey political reporter Jack Fiehn looks at some of the seats to watch in Surrey.

GUILDFORD

Guildford is the one seat in relatively recent memory in Surrey to have been held by a party other than the Conservatives.

The Liberal Democrats won in 2001, lost but came close again in 2005 and the majority between them and the Tories was significantly reduced in 2019.

Lib Dem candidate Zoe Franklin says she believes she can win, although isn’t taking anything for granted, while Conservative Angela Richardson has been out campaigning most days and says it is “all to play for”.

ESHER AND WALTON

Historically, Esher and Walton has been a safe Conservative seat.

But in 2019, it saw a huge swing towards the Liberal Democrats and the majority of former deputy prime minister Dominic Raab was reduced to 2,743 votes.

Mr Raab is standing down this year but this is predicted to be another close contest between the Lib Dems and the Tories.

DORKING AND HORLEY

Dorking and Horley is a new constituency created because of boundary changes and largely made up of the old Mole Valley seat.

The Conservatives have dominated the area in the past, but the Liberal Democrats have become the main political party on Mole Valley District Council - by some distance - and will be hoping that this constituency can be one of their gains on the night.

But it is a big unknown.

Simon Jenkins
BBC News, Dorking

Image source, BBC/Simon Jenkins

All the ballot boxes have arrived here at the Dorking Sports Centre for the Dorking and Horley count.

Verification has now been completed and the turnout is exactly 70%.

A total of 50,139 votes were cast and the counting has now begun.

Jack Fiehn
BBC Surrey political reporter

Image source, Jack Fiehn/BBC

Both the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives are staying tight lipped about any suspicions they have about the outcome. There is a suggestion that the exit poll prediction for Jeremy Hunt is pessimistic and the result could be closer, but there is no firm evidence either way.

At just before 01:00 BST, the votes were still being verified for both the Godalming and Ash, and Farnham and Bordon seats. With counting still not beginning, it could still be awhile before we learn Jeremy Hunt’s fate and whether the Liberal Democrats can gain one of their target constituencies.

Adrian Harms
BBC Surrey

Image source, BBC/Adrian Harms

The turnout in Guildford is confirmed at 68.6%, which is down from 75% in 2019.

Back in the 70s and 80s Guildford used to be one of the first counts to announce, but no longer.

The counters have been sitting around for quite a while looking bored and chatting and have now gone on a break, it’s a hive of inactivity in Guildford!

Callum French
BBC Surrey

Image source, Callum French/BBC

Counting is also under way in Reigate.

Candidates are aiming to replace Crispin Blunt, who was the Conservative MP for Reigate since 1997.

He spent two years as a justice minister from 2010 to 2012, as a whip when the Conservatives were in opposition, and on several committees.

Mr Blunt was also arrested in October 2023 on suspicion of rape and the possession of controlled substances.

Image source, BBC/Nicky Patrick

Woking leisure centre is filled with a lively buzz of conversation as verification takes place. Lots of bright lighting to keep everyone awake and alert. Noted that there are a large number of the counting agents on behalf of the Liberal Democrats. The count is due to start at about 1am With particular excitement due to the coffee shop selling bacon sandwiches but sweets are getting low already in the press area!

BBC Politics

The Labour Party is forecast to win a landslide majority in Parliament, according to an exit poll published as voting ended in the 2024 general election.

Labour is set to take 410 seats, well ahead of the Conservatives on 131, according to the forecast based on the poll carried out by Ipsos for the BBC, ITV News and Sky News.

Thanks to a handy tool created by the BBC team, you can find out what the forecast is for your constituency here.

Fiona McCarthy
BBC Radio Surrey

Image source, BBC/Fiona McCarthy

At the Epsom and Ewell constituency count, ballot papers have arrived at Epsom Racecourse, and are being checked.

Nervous tellers are watching on, to see if their candidate will make it to the front of the field. Some are in high spirits, some not so much.

The former Conservative MP for this seat, Chris Grayling, has had good news this evening. He’s been awarded a peerage in the dissolution honours list.

Adrian Harms
BBC Surrey, in Guildford

Image source, BBC/Adrian Harms

The final ballot boxes have arrived at Guildford Spectrum and counting is under way. Early indications are that there has been a high turnout. This has been a safe Conservative seat since 2005, but a majority of over 22,000 in 2015 had dwindled to just over 3,000 in 2019. This is a key target seat for the Liberal Democrats and if the national exit polls are correct the Conservatives are very likely to be beaten into second place.

If you're in Surrey and eager enough to still be up and following the coverage on election night, we'd love to hear from you.

Are you nervous or hotly anticipating results? Do you plan to be up until the early hours to find out who will take your local seat? And just how many cups of coffee in are you?

WhatsApp, external us on 08081 002250.

Jack Fiehn
BBC Surrey political reporter

Image source, BBC/Jack Fiehn

There are lots of eyes on the count at Godalming and Ash.

That is because this is where the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is standing.

The Liberal Democrats have been targeting the seat and the result has been described as on "a knife edge".

This is "the room where it happens", by which I mean this is where Mr Hunt will learn his fate, at a declaration in the early hours.

Jack Fiehn
BBC Surrey political reporter

Image source, BBC/Jack Fiehn

It has probably never been so apt that Farnham has its very own “Downing Street”.

The town is at the heart of the new Farnham and Bordon constituency, which has been created because of boundary changes.

It is thought that this could be a close contest between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives.

The result is not expected for a while though, with one prediction that it will not be announced until 5am in the morning.