LAST minute voters on Teesside will still be able to cast their vote in today's European Election.

Despite reassurances from the Government that the experimental postal election, at both local and European level, would eradicate the need for ballot boxes and boost turn-out numbers, the scheme has been dogged by printing delays and complicated voting forms.

For those unable to post their ballot papers, they can be taken to local authority assistance and delivery points which will be open until 10pm tonight.

Trained electoral staff will be accepting completed ballot papers delivered by hand, and will be giving advice on how to complete the slips correctly.

If an elector loses or spoils their paper they can get a replacement.

The deadline to apply for a replacement paper is 9pm in person tonight.

Until 10pm voters in Middlesbrough can call into the Town Hall, people in Stockton can go to the Municipal Buildings, Church Road, while the Civic Centre, Victoria Road, is catering for Hartlepool Borough Council's electors and in Redcar and Cleveland Borough, voters can call in at Eston Town Hall, in Fabian Road.

In the face of stiff criticism, the experimental voting system figures show that by Tuesday nearly a third of all electors eligible to vote had used the controversial postal service.

Turnout is running at more than 30 per cent, which is a big improvement on the 19.58 per cent figure in 1998.