THE race is on in the countdown to Election Day on June 7.
With all nominations now closed, candidates in both general and county elections have begun the task of getting their faces known and publicising their party's manifesto.
Parliamentary candidates Michael Mates (Conservative), Bob Booker (Lib Dem) and Barbara Burfoot (Labour) began campaigning with a vengeance in Alton, Petersfield and the surrounding villages this week after final nominations closed on Tuesday.
In East Hampshire - a traditionally "true blue" stronghold, the fight could be fiercer than expected with the Liberal Democrats snapping at the heels of Mr Mates (67) who four years ago was returned to parliament with a majority cut by more than half to 11,590 after a 75.9 per cent turnout giving him a 76,000 electorate.
Mr Mates polled 27,927 votes against Bob Booker's 16,337. Bob Hoyle for Labour returned a figure of 9,945 with John Hayter (Referendum) polling 2,757 ahead of Ian Foster (Green) 649 and Stephen Coles (Independent) 513.
Four years earlier, in April 1992, a strong 79.26 per cent turnout resulted in a majority for Michael Mates of more than 29,000, the second largest Tory majority in the country. At that time, however, Alton was part of the Winchester constituency, another Tory stronghold until 1997 when Gerald Malone (Con) lost his seat after a much -publicised recount to Lib Dem, Mark Oaten.
In fact, the 1997 election saw a change in East Hampshire constituency boundaries which led to Alton in the north being linked instead with Petersfield at the centre and Horndean to the south.
It is a constituency held by Michael Mates since 1974 and one which, with two Alton- based candidates in hot pursuit, he will be fighting hard to retain.
However it is the final line-up of Hampshire County Council candidates which could cause the biggest upset.
In the past two successive county election counts there has been a major swing from Tory to Lib Dems and back again.
In 1993 the Liberal Democrats held the majority after the Tories lost a staggering 26 seats and control of the council for the first time in 100 years.
Four years later in 1997 there was a massive U-turn and the county council was back in the hands of the Conservatives.
It is likely to be a nail-biting time for Alton where Tony Barron (Lib Dem) has served continuously for the past 16 years. On his retirement, Mr Barron is hoping to hand over to Tony Ludlow (Lib Dem) who will have to fight off strong opposition from fellow district councillor Stewart Glasgow (Conservative) and Four Marks candidate Janice Treacher (Lab).
The Medstead and Selborne ward is also up for grabs after Peter Andrea (Con) decided to stand down after 14 years.
Conservative candidate Sir James Scott will hope to continue where Peter Andrea left off, although district councillor Jerry Janes (Lib Dem) and East Hampshire parliamentary candidate Barbara Burfoot (Lab) are also in the running.
With a change in administrative structure to the new single- party cabinet style, there are likely to be fierce battles raging elsewhere to try and swing the pendulum of power. Among the 1997 casualties was the Lib Dem stronghold of Bramshott, embracing Whitehill, which was won by Michael Cartwright (Con).
The Petersfield seat, which incorporates the villages of Greatham and Hawkley, was also won by John West (Con) from the Liberal Democrats.
Both of these seats are expected to be among the most hotly contested in the district, with town and district councillor Zoya Faddy (Lib Dem) squaring up at Bramshott against Michael Cartwright in a repeat of their 1997 battle.
They will be joined by Labour candidate Peter Dare who stood as a parliamentary candidate in the last general election.
In the Petersfield ward, John West will go up against former district councillor Anne Claxton (Lib Dem) and William Organ (Lab).
Existing county councillor for the Headley and Bordon ward, John Filer (Con) will hope to fight off challenges from Stella Charman (Lib Dem) and Mark Walsh (Lab).
Away from the local wards Hampshire County Council leader Ken Thornber (Con) is hoping to keep his Brockenhurst seat and vice- chairman Alan Rice (Con) will be seeking to hang onto his Milford and Hordle seat.
However chairman Freddie Emery-Wallis (Con), who handed over his duties to Mr Rice earlier this year, has decided to step down as county councillor for the Waterloo and Stakes ward.