THE election battle is nearly over, with just one week to go until polling day.

Some voters will make their choice based on the party politics that have been played out on the news channels and the newspapers during the past month.

Others will look more locally, scrutinising the individual candidates to see if they are fit and proper to represent them at Westminster.

However you come to your decision, one thing is clear – your vote could be crucial when the polling stations open on May 7.

According to Government data, a staggering 24,819 people registered to vote in Basingstoke either did not do so, or had their vote rejected.

To put that into context, the winning candidate received 25,590 votes, with a margin of 13,176.

There was a similar story in both North East and North West Hampshire, where thousands of people decided not to take part in the political process.

Would it have made a difference to the overall result if all those who did not vote decided to do so?

Maybe, maybe not, but that question misses the point.

In this day and age of spin and wall-to-wall coverage, it is easy to become weary and cynical about our political process.

But how can we hold our elected representatives to account if we do not bother to vote in the first place?

Over the next week, The Gazette urges everyone to look closely at the candidates and the parties involves, make their choices and cast their vote.

-Chris Gregory