This is it:

a day of political history, the biggest Scottish vote in living memory, and a referendum that will reshape our country, and, regardless of the result, stand as an extraordinary example of democracy-in-action conducted in a well-organised, fair and inclusive way.

As the first voters head to the polling booths this morning, the polls still make the final result impossible to predict. The latest polls suggest the No campaign has perhaps a four-point lead, although four points is within the usual margin of error.

What that means is that every single vote counts. This is not like a General Election in which electors could be voting in safe seats where there is no prospect of change: the polls suggest it could be extremely tight and the result may come down to a few thousand, perhaps even a few hundred votes. Vote, because it will matter.

The number who will do so should be remarkably high: at well in excess of four million, some 97 per cent of those eligible to vote having registered. The final turnout is unlikely to be that high, but there are some predictions it might reach 90 per cent. Compare that to just more than 60 per cent in the 2010 General Election and just more than 50 per cent for the Holyrood election three years ago. There will be some men and women taking part who have never voted or have given up on voting, and, after years in which it appeared that many had become disengaged from politics, that is good for democracy.

The voters will also include thousands of 16 and 17-year-olds who are able to take part in a referendum for the first time. With their tough questions for the politicians and engagement in the process, both in live debates and online, these young men and women, who have perhaps the greatest investment in how the Scotland and the UK will look in years to come, have been a credit to their generation.

As the clock has ticked down, it was perhaps inevitable that the feelings of young and old would intensify and tempers would fray, but by and large the campaigning has been passionate but respectful, intense, intelligent and overwhelmingly good-natured.

There have been a few unfortunate incidents, and some of the anger expressed by the more extreme elements online has been unpleasant, but as Brian Docherty, the chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, has said, there is nothing to indicate that the relative calm we have seen so far is likely to collapse.

The woman in charge of the whole process, Chief Counting Officer Mary Pitcaithly, is also confident that the right procedures are in place for today, although many will remember the debacle of the 2007 Holyrood elections in which thousands of ballots were spoiled in the confusion of multiple voting systems on the same day.

This time, the process is much simpler - an X for No or Yes - and Mrs Pitcaithly has also advised voters to think about when they would like to vote. The polling stations are open from 7am until 10pm, with no more than 800 voters allocated to each, but if a queue starts before 10pm, the end of the queue will be marked at 10 and anyone beyond that will be unable to vote. The best advice is to avoid, if possible, the busiest times: first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

If any other reminder is needed of how important every single vote is, it is the fact that there will be no re-run of the count on the night, however close it might be. After the polling stations close, the votes will be counted by Scotland's 32 local authorities in what amounts to a huge logistical exercise and a remarkable team effort through the night. While some local recounts may be possible on the ground, there will be no national recount. The result is the result.

And then what? The campaign has been lively and exciting, but there will be shredded nerves, some tears and disappointment and the hope must be that, whether it is a No or a Yes, the losing side accepts it with equanimity.

Speaking ahead of the vote, the Rt Rev John Chalmers, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said the senior figures on both sides of the campaign would have a duty to set the tone. Scots have voted with cool heads and calm hearts, he said, but the responsibility of both sides tomorrow will be to accept the result, work on a strategy for the future, and deliver on some of the promises that have been made in the fight for votes.