Around 1,300 St Albans people rushed to register to vote in the final three days before the May 22 deadline.

The figure was released by St Albans council, who are readying themselves for next week’s General Election.

Acting-returning officer for St Albans council, Mike Lovelady, said: “The final preparations for the General Election in the district are well underway.

“It is a major organisational challenge, but I am confident my staff are equal to it.

“Around 150,000 people in the two constituencies are eligible to vote, and I urge them all to do so and have their say on who should represent them in Parliament.”

Voters in St Albans will either do so at one of the 51 polling stations in the constituency, or by postal vote.

13,800 postal votes have been issued to St Albans voters, slightly less than the 16,000 issued in Hitchin and Harpenden.

The deadline to apply for a proxy vote, where someone else votes on your behalf, is 5pm on Wednesday, May 31.

But it is possible to apply for an emergency proxy vote until 5pm on polling day.

The council have also released some handy tips for voting next week:

• You can only vote at the polling station stated on your poll card. The card will have been sent to the address at which you are registered;

• If you are in a queue at your polling station at 10pm, you will still be able to vote. However, you will not be able to do so if you arrive after 10pm.

• If you have not posted a postal vote before polling day, you can take it to your local polling station and hand it in.

• You are advised to take your poll card with you to vote. If you do not have it, you may still be able to vote. You will need to tell the polling station staff your name and address and they will check if you are on the electoral register.

• If you are disabled, you can ask the polling station staff for help to mark the ballot paper. Someone else, such as a relative or support worker, is also entitled to help.

• Anyone with a visual impairment can ask for a large print copy of the ballot paper, but cannot vote on this.

• If you make a mistake on your ballot paper, you can return it to polling station staff who will issue you with a replacement paper. This is provided you have not put your original in the ballot box.

The council’s electoral services team can be contacted on 01727 819294 or email elections@stalbans.gov.uk