The Russell Group uni cities where students will have the most power in the Genny Lec

You’ve registered to vote, you’ve worked out what the hell you need to do if the election is right when you’re moving out of your student house, but now you’re probably wondering how much power you actually have to make a difference. Obviously every single vote makes a difference but there are actually some student areas that have a lot more power than others.

Well, the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) alongside the National Union of Students (NUS) have used data from the 2021 census as well as 2019 election data and 2024 polling to work out where students will have the biggest impact in the election.

We already know which Russell Group uni cities have the most students who are registered to vote in the election, but where will their votes make the biggest impact?

There are 75 constituencies where the number of students who are registered to vote exceeds the number of votes needed for the candidate to win that seat, therefore giving them the most power. These constituencies include the constituency of one Cabinet minister, Steve Baker (Wycombe), Chingford and Woodford Green, the constituency of former Tory Party leader Iain Duncan Smith, and Uxbridge and South Ruislip, which was until 2024 the constituency of Boris Johnson.

These constituents are spread across the UK and many are in historically Labour areas where the Tories made gains in the 2019 election such as Yorkshire and in the north West.

The Russell Group uni cities where students will hold the most power in the General Election:

7. North East England

Russell Group universities: Newcastle University, Durham University

6. East of England

Russell Group universities: University of Cambridge

5. Wales

Russell Group universities: Cardiff University

4. Greater London

Russell Group universities: University College London, King’s College London, Imperial College London, Queen Mary University of London

=4. South West England

Russell Group universities: University of Exeter

3. East Midlands

Russell Group universities: University of Nottingham

=3. South East England

Russell Group universities: University of Oxford, University of Southampton

2. West Midlands 

Russell Group universities: University of Warwick, University of Birmingham

1. North West England 

Russell Group universities: University of Manchester, University of Liverpool

=1. Yorkshire and the Humber 

Russell Group universities: University of York, University of Leeds, University of Sheffield

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• The best student cities to live in across the world right now, according to new rankings

• The Russell Group uni cities where the most students are registered to vote in the Genny Lec

• So, here’s how to vote in the Genny Lec whilst moving out of your student house

Featured image before edits via Elliott Stallion on Unsplash.