ELECTION fever mounted today as the official deadline passed for Westminster hopefuls who want to throw their hats in the ring.
Nomination papers for would-be MPs had to be delivered to election offices at 4pm today.
Tomorrow the Evening Press launches its coverage of the run-up to the big ballot on May 5.
Our in-depth look at the General Election starts with profiles of all the runners in constituencies we cover in York and North and East Yorkshire.
A total of 36 candidates have already put their names forward to stand in nine constituencies in our circulation area: City of York, Ryedale, Selby, Vale of York, Brigg and Goole, Haltemprice and Howden, Harrogate and Knaresborough, Scarborough and Whitby and Yorkshire East.
Familiar faces and big hitters from all the main parties are listed, in what should be one of the most fiercely contested national votes in years.
Who is standing in your constituency? How will the parties defeat election fatigue and boost declining turn-out numbers? And what will be the key regional battlegrounds that will help tilt the national vote in the direction of Labour, Conservative or Liberal Democrats - securing Tony Blair, Michael Howard or Charles Kennedy a place in the Downing Street hot seat.
We will provide all the answers over the next 16 days. The Evening Press team will bring voters extensive coverage of day-to-day events leading up to polling day, plus detailed analysis of key issues like crime, health and the economy that will swing the election.
The eyes of the nation are expected to switch to three key North Yorkshire battlegrounds.
In Selby, Labour's John Grogan secured a majority of just over 2,000 from the Tories in 2001 and Conservatives will be desperate to secure a seat many political pundits have highlighted as one of their top 20 targets. Other marginal constituencies include Harrogate and Knaresborough, where the Tories are looking to oust Phil Willis, of the Liberal Democrats, and Scarborough, where Labour's Lawrie Quinn is defending a majority of fewer than 4,000 votes.
The battle for votes in the North Yorkshire County Council elections, also being held on May 5, will also be featured.
Updated: 13:50 Tuesday, April 19, 2005
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