Polling stations have opened for voters to cast their ballots in a set of elections which could shake up British politics and have profound implications for the future of the United Kingdom.

But enough of all that, election days in the UK have become about one thing and one thing only. Dogs at polling stations.

Social media trend #Dogsatpollingstations has become a bit of voting day tradition in the UK.

There isn’t much to it other than dog owners bring their dogs along when they cast their vote and post a picture of their canine friend exercising their democratic right outside of their local polling station.

Dogs across the country are enjoying the extra exercise and it serves as a welcome break from politics for Brits until the polls close and all attention then turns to the count.

Nobody really knows why it started but the tradition has really taken off since the 2016 Brexit referendum and has become a bit of a phenomenon.

Since then, Brits have had quite a lot of voting to do.

In 2019, four-legged companions accompanied their humans to schools, village halls and pubs to vote in the European Parliament elections.

St Albans & Harpenden Review: Henry the labradoodle outside the polling station at Spike Island in Bristol (Claire Hayhurst/PA)Henry the labradoodle outside the polling station at Spike Island in Bristol (Claire Hayhurst/PA)

St Albans & Harpenden Review: Golden retriever Riloh with her owner Natasha Collins-Daniel in Bristol (Ben Birchall/PA)Golden retriever Riloh with her owner Natasha Collins-Daniel in Bristol (Ben Birchall/PA)

St Albans & Harpenden Review: A caravan polling station on a farm in Garthorpe, near Melton Mowbray (Joe Giddens/PA)A caravan polling station on a farm in Garthorpe, near Melton Mowbray (Joe Giddens/PA)

In December 2019, Dogs at polling stations were out in force as voters took their canine friends to join in the democratic process.

Members of the electorate honoured the December election by putting a festive spin on the tradition.

St Albans & Harpenden Review: Dogs turned up in festive outfits in December 2019. (PA)Dogs turned up in festive outfits in December 2019. (PA)

The tradition has caught on in Australia and America.

As Americans flocked to the polls to cast their votes in the Presidential election, some were accompanied by their pets.

St Albans & Harpenden Review: Dogs joined their owners for the presidential elections in the US last year. (PA)Dogs joined their owners for the presidential elections in the US last year. (PA)

Keeping up with tradition, pups across the UK have joined their owners for Super Thursday today in the largest test of political opinion outside a general election, with the future of the Labour Party and the state of the Union among the issues at play.

Here are a few of the best pictures posted: