General Election 2017: Here's what the turnout was like around the Black Country and Staffordshire

Wolverhampton posted some of its highest figures in two decades at this year’s General Election.

In the key marginal seat of Wolverhampton South West the turnout was 71 per cent – the highest since 1997.

The seat has seen a series of tight battles over the last three elections, switching between Conservative and Labour control.

In 2015 the turnout in the constituency was 66.6 per cent, while it was 67.9 per cent in 2010 and 62.1 per cent in 2005.

It was a similar story in Wolverhampton North East, where 60 per cent of voters made their way to polling booths yesterday.

Again, the figure was the highest since Tony Blair’s New Labour swept into power 20 years ago.

Wolverhampton South East also saw a turnout of 60 per cent, up 4.4 per cent on 2015 and the biggest recorded in the constituency since 1997 when it was 64.1 per cent.

Turnouts also improved across Sandwell.

In West Bromwich East, the seat of Labour deputy leader Tom Watson, the turnout was 61.45 per cent, up from 58.9 per cent in 2015.

There was a lower turnout in West Bromwich West however, where 54.9 per cent of the electorate made their way to a polling booth on Thursday.

The turnout is traditionally low in that constituency.

In John Spellar’s Warley seat the turnout was a healthy 63.3 per cent, up from 59.3 per cent at the 2015 General Election.

In Dudley North, Dudley South, and Halesowen and Rowley Regis, the turnout was over 60 per cent.

Councillors said that more young voters came forward during the campaign as the Labour Party ‘connected’ with them.

Councillor Mohammed Hanif, who represents the Stourbridge North and Lye ward, said: “There is a big deficit to turn around in the current government.

“Labour has been working hard and shown a lot of commitment.

“A lot of young voters have come forward this election has they have felt the party has spoke to them about issues that concern them. We connected with them.

“Personally throughout this campaign I have found that lots of people have come to support Labour who maybe wouldn’t have done before.”

Stark contrasts between this year’s turnouts in Walsall and the 2015 polls have been put down to a more ‘accurate’ registration system, according to a council boss.

This year a total of 38,191 votes were cast in the key seat of Walsall North where Labour stalwart David Winnick was looking to fend off a strong Tory campaign – representing a turnout of 56.74 per cent.

Perversely there were fewer votes in 2015 – 36,883 but the turnout – 62 per cent - was notably higher.

Sue Wright, electoral services manager at Walsall Council, said: “The electorate has gone up we have got more people registered now. In 2014 the way people were registered changed and we believe it is now more accurate. We can take people off and on quicker. The onus is now on the individual to register.

“If we believe someone has moved we can get two pieces of evidence and we can get them off quicker.”

In Stone the turnout was 73.91 per cent while in Stafford the turnout was 76.04 per cent – up from 71 per cent in in 2015.