For many Medway residents, the general election will not be the only time they head for the polls this year.

Residents in Gillingham North, Gillingham South, Rainham Central, River, Rochester East, Rochester South and Horsted and Rochester West wards all face the prospects of a second visit to the polling station weeks after the general election.

Of course, not all of the wards will face a by-election, but at least one of them will almost-definitely be heading to the polls a second time, and anywhere up to four wards may see the familiar signs up more than once.

Which wards will, it’s hard to say. But all (bar one) of them are represented by councillors hoping to bag a 60,000 pounds plus per year job representing the likes of you and I in Parliament (and trying to not to be tempted by the lure of expenses!).

The exception, of course, is Rochester South and Horsted, where former Conservative Councillor Nick Brice has yet to decide on his future after being caught kerb-crawling. However, I am not going to be drawn into a discussion about whether or not he should go, as that is not what this article is about. Smart money says, though, that we are unlikely to see a by-election there any time soon.

So to the crux of my thinking. In Rochester and Strood, Geoff Juby (LD, Gillingham South), Teresa Murray (Lab, Rochester East) and Mark Reckless (Con, Rochester West) are all hoping to replace Bob Marshall-Andrews as the constituency MP. In short, unless something major should happen between now and then, one of the above will be vacating their seat on the council.

In Gillingham and Rainham, Paul Clark MP has announced that he will be trying to cling onto his seat, facing a challenge from Rehman Chishti (Con, Rainham Central) and Andy Stamp (LD, Gillingham North). That gives a two-in-three chance that there will be a second by-election.

The more observant will realise that that still leaves River ward. Well Bill Esterson (Lab) is leaving us to fight his own battle up in Sefton Central, although he’s not actually leaving the council just yet – but that’s another story.

So I’m going to throw my neck on the line and make a prediction – that by the end of the year, by-elections will have been held in Rainham Central, River and Rochester West wards, as Conservatives Rehman Chishti and Mark Reckless see the fruits of their hard work pull off and win huge majorities in the election, whilst Labour’s Bill Esterson secures a wafer-thin majority.

In the subsequent by-elections, Rainham Central (one of the Conservatives’ newest safest seats) would remain blue (although I cannot thus far see any possible contenders for the candidacy), River would turn blue (as it already turned half-blue in 2007, but again I cannot see any possible candidates) and Rochester West would also remain blue (and I have in mind a possible candidate, or two, but shall remain tight-lipped for the time being).

But don’t hold me to that!