Conservative leader David Cameron will be in Bolton today as the race for votes begins ahead of the May 6 election.

The Tories are hoping to win the Bolton West seat which Labour's Ruth Kelly held on to with a slim majority.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown was given permission by the Queen to dissolve Parliament next Monday and kick-start what is expected to be the most closely fought General Election campaign in decades.

As well as voting for their MP, residents will also be voting for who runs the town with the Bolton Council elections taking place on the same day.

One seat in each of the borough’s 20 wards is up for grabs and those wishing to stand have until noon on Thursday to submit their nomination papers.

The deadline for General Election candidates to register to stand is Tuesday, April 20, at 4pm.

For Bolton MPs Ruth Kelly and Dr Brian Iddon, next Monday will mark the end of their political careers as they stand down as representatives for Bolton West and Bolton South East respectively.

Candidates from all parties have already spent the last few weeks intensifying their election campaigns with door-to-door leafleting and meeting constituents in a bid to win their vote.

Polling stations will be set up across the borough and these will be open from 7am until 10pm, giving residents the chance to cast their votes at their convenience.

Once the polls close, ballot boxes will be transferred to Bolton Arena where they will be verified.

The count for the General Election will take place on the evening of May 6 and will last until the early hours of May 7.

But the votes for the council elections will be kept secure and counted on the morning of May 7.

Bolton Council is urging residents who are not yet registered to vote to register now.

The deadline to register is 5pm on Tuesday, April 20, and applications must be with the Elections Office, Room 223, Town Hall, Victoria Square, Bolton, BL1 1RU, or placed in the “Applications Box”, One Stop Shop Reception, at the town hall by this date.

Postal votes are available to anyone who wants one and the closing date for registering is the same, April 20.

For more information log onto bolton.gov.uk