THOUSANDS of voters will journey to the polls today to elect a new look Gloucestershire County Council.
There are only 53 seats up for grabs this time around, compared to 63 in 2009, and surprises have been predicted across the board.
The combination of councillor numbers being cut, boundaries being redrawn, the emergence of Ukip and the traditional likelihood that the party in government usually suffers losses means this evening's count could be one of the tensest in a generation.
The Conservatives are currently in majority control of the authority. And the magic number for them to retain power this time around will be 27.
If the Tories, or any other party, wins 27 seats across the county, they will hold the cards for the next four years with enough councillors to defeat any opposition.
However, the outcome being predicted by many would see a situation where no one party has overall control in Gloucestershire.
And that would almost certainly mean the uncertainty of an alliance between two or more parties.
It was a similar situation between 2001 and 2005 when the Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party formed a coalition in order to control the council.
Today there will also be a by-election in Warden Hill ward due to a Cheltenham Borough councillor retiring.
You can stay up to date with all of the latest on the counts, which are taking place in each of the six districts across the county, this evening and into the early hours of tomorrow by visiting www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk.
OPINION, P8