VOTERS go to the polls today in a historic referendum which will decide whether the UK will remain a member of the European Union or leave.

Here in Stroud some 100,000 people will cast their ballot, adding their voice to 46.5m people entitled to take part.

Polling stations opened at 7am and will close at 10pm. Counting is then scheduled to continue throughout Thursday night and are due to be announced early on Friday morning.

You can expect the first result at about 12.30pm from Sunderland, usually first to declare in parliamentary elections.

There will be a clear indication of which way the referendum has gone by 4am.

The SNJ will be reporting live from the count at Stratford Park Leisure Centre throughout the night to bring you the district’s decision every step of the way.

We’ll be keeping our live blog updated with news, interviews, comments, pictures and videos from 11.30pm till every vote is counted and the result in announced.

Follow our hashtag #Stroudvotes to join in the online discussion.