SALISBURY today goes to the polls, in an election many thought would never happen.

Voters across the region will help the continent elect 751 new Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).

Those who are selected will serve a five year term - and those in Britain could be out of a job within weeks, in theory at least.

These elections use a party list system, which means voters pick one party (in England, Wales and Scotland at least - it is slightly different in Northern Ireland).

A complicated formula - the d'Hondt system - then calculates the proportion of seats that each party should be allocated, for each of the UK's 12 constituencies.

The South West has six.

So, if Party A are allocated two seats and Party B eight, the top two and eight candidates on each list are respectively elected.

This is a more proportional system, which tends to allow smaller parties a greater number of seats than the 'first past the post' system used for Westminster elections.

The results will start being announced from 10pm on Sunday with exit polls in some countries expected at about the same time.

Remember to check your polling card for where you have to go to vote.