The voting system for today's elections has prompted mixed reactions in the borough.

But fears the three ballot paper poll might confuse voters electing the new London Mayor and members of the London Assembly appear largely unfounded.

The majority of voters who spoke to the Ealing Times outside Ealing Common polling station said the process was easy to understand.

Jo Stewart, 52, who lives in Tring Avenue, said: "It was actually very straightforward, there were instructions for exactly what to do in the polling station.

"It was very clear who to vote for and how to do it."

Voters get two preferences in the Mayor of London poll. They also get one vote for a local London Assembly candidate and one vote for a political party's shortlist of candidates hoping to become a member for the whole of London.

Engineer, Adam Sutol, of Wolverton Gardens, questioned the complexity of the system.

He said: "It's complicated and will confuse a lot of people and cause problems.

"I don't like the second preference system, it should just be a single vote as this way it is open to interpretation and a good deal of flexibility."

Daniel Mulhall, a 33-year-old IT support technician at Imperial College, said the information which was posted to voters before the poll had helped him make a decision.

He said: "I voted for Boris Johnson (Conservative) because I think people being in power for too long get complacent.

"nother four years for Ken would not be good for London.

"The literature which was sent out before was useful because it made it very clear how the voting system was going to work."

Kath Jones, 43, who lives in the Uxbridge Road, said: "I'm voting for Ken Livingstone (Labour) because he is the only serious candidate.

"I don't really think he's the best man for the job, but I don't want Boris to get in because he is not a serious candidate."