THE polls are open in Helensburgh and Lomond, and across the UK, in the country's first December general election since 1923.

Four people are standing in the Argyll and Bute constituency – Rhea Barnes for Labour, Gary Mulvaney for the Conservatives, the SNP's Brendan O'Hara, and Alan Reid for the Liberal Democrats.

All were put to the test by Helensburgh's voters at a hustings at the Tower Digital Arts Centre in Helensburgh earlier this week.

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Mr O'Hara is aiming to secure a third term as the area's MP at Westminster, while it's Mr Mulvaney's third UK election as the Conservative candidate in Argyll and Bute, having previously stood in 2010 and 2017.

Mr Reid represented the constituency from 2001 until 2015, while this is Ms Barnes' first time standing as a UK parliamentary candidate.

Polling stations in Helensburgh itself are at the Victoria Halls, the Templeton Building Annexe at the Helensburgh and Lomond Civic Centre, Helensburgh Parish Church's halls, the Drumfork Community Centre, the British Red Cross hall in East Princes Street, and the dance studio at Hermitage Academy.

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Outside of Helensburgh, polling places are located at the Geilston Hall in Cardross, the Rhu and Shandon Community Centre, the Loch Lomond Arms Hotel in Luss, the Gibson Hall in Garelochhead, St Modan's Parish Church Hall in Rosneath, Cove Burgh Hall, the Three Villages Hall in Arrochar, and Arrochar Primary School.

The polls close at 10pm, after which all of Argyll and Bute's votes will be transported to the counting centre at Lochgilphead Joint Campus.

Argyll and Bute is usually one of the last UK constituencies to declare a result, due to the geographical spread of the seat; a declaration is expected some time after 5am on Friday.

READ MORE: Catch up with all the latest Helensburgh and Lomond news headlines here