SO AFTER what seems like an eternity of campaigning and a rainforest worth of leaflets, the big day is finally here.

Swindon has been showered with attention from both of the major parties eager to win the votes of residents.

The Conservative Party chose the University Technical College to launch its manifesto and while visits quietened after that, it was certainly a sign of intent.

Visits from the senior Labour figures have occurred on an almost daily basis. If Shadow Cabinet Bingo was a game, then Swindon hit full house a long time ago.

All that is left now is for people to head to the polling station and put a cross in a box (apart from the thousands who have already cast their vote through the post – you can stop reading now if you want).

And despite what many think, voting is important, with this year being more important than most.

Politics seeps into many aspects of our lives, whether we like it or not. Of course, the running of the NHS and the performance of the economy will grab the headlines in the short term but the less glamorous aspects also play a big part in how our society evolves.

Planning regulations, care for the elderly, rollout of high speed broadband, support for local bus routes and money for youth clubs are unlikely to ever dominate headlines but the party in power dictates much of how these are run.

It is therefore vital for people to go out to have their say, and to those who say their vote makes no difference, this time you are wrong. The pollsters have the two seats running close, and there is very little between the leading candidates in South Swindon.

No longer is British politics about two or three parties, with a number of ‘smaller’ parties making their voice heard. With a hung parliament likely, these voices may soon have to be heard.

While a vote for a party outside the traditional two may not yield an MP this time, it could help to build momentum for future elections.

One thing that has been clear about these elections is they have been relatively clean in Swindon. At recent hustings events, everyone listened to what their opponents had to say before responding.

Use this opportunity to make sure the country gets the government it wants. If it doesn’t, we may have to do all this again in a few months.