Voters across the region have been turning out at polling stations since 7am this morning, but it hasn't just been humans who've been making the trip to vote.

Our canine friends have been waiting patiently outside schools, community centres and churches while their owners exercise their dem-paw-cratic right.

Echo readers have sent us dozens of photos of their four-legged friends posing for a snap outside their local polling station.

And the hashtag '#dogsatpollingstations' has been trending on X, formerly Twitter, since polls opened at 7am.

It has become something of a tradition for voters to take their dogs along to their polling station on election day and snatch a picture for social media.

The craze shot to popularity around the 2015 General Election, and has been a staple of every General Election, and local votes, since.

Echo Readers' Dogs at Polling Stations

Carl Jenkinson's Labrador Marley outside West Park Academy in Darlington.Carl Jenkinson's Labrador Marley outside West Park Academy in Darlington. (Image: UGC)

Our very own Andy White couldn't quite get Milo to look at the camera for this snap outside Reid Street School in Darlington.Our very own Andy White couldn't quite get Milo to look at the camera for this snap outside Reid Street School in Darlington. (Image: ANDY WHITE)

(Image: Contrbiutor) (Image: Contrbiutor) (Image: Contrbiutor) (Image: Contrbiutor) (Image: Contrbiutor) Meg the dog at a polling station in Houghton and Sunderland South.Meg the dog at a polling station in Houghton and Sunderland South. (Image: Kayleigh Fraser)

(Image: North News) (Image: North News) (Image: North News) (Image: North News)