It's the general election hardly anybody expected – and which was interrupted by two tragedies.

We had been told the Fixed Term Parliaments Act of 2011 would make it difficult for prime ministers to call elections at times of their choosing.

But Theresa May managed just that after announcing on April 18 that she would go to the country.

The move came only two years after David Cameron defied the polls to win the first Conservative majority since 1992.

Across the country, politicians and party volunteers, who had the election in their diary for May 7, 2020, had to be ready immediately.

St Albans & Harpenden Review:

The only lull in the campaigning came for the worst of reasons.

The suicide bombing at the Ariana Grande gig at Manchester Arena killed 23 people on May 22.

The London terror attack on June 3 is so far known to have killed eight.

The increased concerns about safety have prompted local authorities to put on extra security at the venues where votes will be counted tonight.

South west Hertfordshire returned MPs from just one party, the Conservatives, in 2015.

SEE ALSO: Observer survey: How will your area vote in the General Election 2017?

And while MPs have been forced to fight for their jobs three years earlier than expected, the public have also had to face another election campaign just a year after a very divisive EU referendum.

With the Liberal Democrats in third place, Ukip are not standing in all constituencies this time, so the race is between the Tories, Liberal Democrats, Labour and Greens.

Will General Election 2017 be close, or will it be one to upset the political applecart?

SEE ALSO: General Election 2017: We interview Watford's Parliamentary hopefuls to discuss the big issues

The pollsters – who have been changing their methodology since the surprise result of 2015 – have produced some wildly varying findings. So it looks like one to stay up for.

You can follow polling day events online today.

Polling stations are open until 10pm and we’ll be live blogging the results as the come in.

There will be a full round-up of the results, the fallout and the local colour in next week's papers.