Here’s the NME exit poll of how young people voted in 2017 General Election

We surveyed over 1,000 young people on how they voted in this election

An NME-led exit poll of young voters in the 2017 UK general election shows a markedly increased turnout for 18-24 year-olds, with a majority of the youth opting for Labour.

NME has been conducting its own nationally representative, pre-election research. The figures obtained by The Stream has focused on a nationally representative panel of millennials, surveying 1,354 respondents in total, all aged between 18-34.

NME‘s exit poll shows that 56% of 18-34s voted in today’s election, with 53% of those aged between 18 and 24 turning out, +12% points on the audience’s turnout of 41% in 2015.  60% of 18–34s said they voted Labour, with two-thirds of those aged 18–24 voting for Jeremy Corbyn’s party.

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The poll found that 36% were first time voters, that half of 18–24s went to the polls with a friend or family member and that Brexit was the main deciding factor driving those to vote.

Mike Williams, NME editor-in-chief, says: “A lot of talk during this election has been about whether young people would bother to get out and vote. They did, in huge numbers, and on a scale not seen in the UK in recent years. We at NME are incredibly proud to see this, and it’s further proof that young people in the UK are massively engaged with politics in 2017.”

“While this is really encouraging, there is still a significant amount of apathy within the 18-24 group that needs addressing. Politicians across all parties need to do more to engage the young voters of the future, because ensuring that their voices are heard and that their needs are central to manifestos is vital for a fair and progressive society. Keep believing, we’re heading in the right direction.”

Since the snap election was announced NME has been surveying young people, launching a campaign called ‘My Plus One’ to encourage young people to take a friend with them to the polling stations.

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