The 2024 General Election polls have now closed, with exit polls suggesting a landslide victory for Labour nationally. However, the Ipsos exit polls reveal a tight contest for the Wells and Mendip Hills seat, with a 51% chance of a Liberal Democrat gain and a 49% chance of a Tory hold, indicating it's too close to call.

Previous polls suggested the seat would go to the Liberal Democrats.

List of candidates:

• Craig Clarke (Independent)
• Helen Hims (Reform UK)
• Joe Joseph (Labour)
• Abi McGuire (Independent)
• Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat)
• Meg Powell-Chandler (Conservative)
• Peter Welsh (Green Party)

James Heappey's resignation has set the stage for a new contest in the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency. Local rival Tessa Munt, who represented the Wells seat from 2010 to 2015 and continues to serve on Somerset Council, is once again in the spotlight.

An initial YouGov poll suggested a Conservative hold, with support from the Mendip Hills villages balancing out the Liberal Democrats' strong presence in Wells and the surrounding southern villages. However, Survation now predicts a Liberal Democrat gain, with Tessa Munt projected to win by five percentage points over Conservative candidate Meg Powell-Chandler.

Labour's Joe Joseph is expected to finish third, just two percentage points behind the Conservatives, while Reform UK candidate Helen Hims, who previously stood in 2015 for UKIP, is predicted to come in a distant fourth.

Election results

Once voting concluded at 10pm, volunteers transported ballot boxes to counting venues for meticulous verification and counting before results are officially declared. Anticipated around 3:30am, the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency will announce its results at the Royal Bath and West Showground in Evercreech, near Shepton Mallet, where the Liberal Democrats secured a notable by-election victory. Please note, these timings are approximate and subject to potential changes due to verification processes or recounts.