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Voters across the United Kingdom have begun to cast their ballots in the general election.
Final opinion polls were suggesting that Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader Theresa May would defeat Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn and increase her majority in parliament.
The ABC spoke to voters as they left the polling booths:
Russell Thomas
"I'm pro-European so for me there's not much of a choice, so mine was a protest vote."
James Howarth
"What was on my mind when I voted? Getting rid of the French and Germans and getting back to what we want to do, what we want to say."
Abul Monsor
"Health and education are the most important. There's a life beyond Brexit."
Charlie, 22, student
"I don't think issues for young people are different to issues for other people. The main issue for me is Brexit because that determines our future. I voted Remain in 2015 and that was my first election. I don't want to see Brexit."
Mubarak, 50s
"I voted Labour, straightforward, although I know this is a conservative area. To be honest, education, children, and health and the NHS were the most important issues to me. Was Brexit an issue? No, the NHS and our kids' future education was more important to me."
Veronica, 60
"You've had all this referendum business, we still don't have clear answers. You've got to do your best. I won't say how I voted. The campaign's been disappointing. Nobody's been at their best … no-one has shone."
Brigid, 45, digital marketing
"I'd rather not say how I voted. The way the world is at the moment, we need to exercise our vote. Even if the person that gets in this evening isn't my choice, I know that I did something for it and I can't then complain. Most important for me was Brexit, I actually voted for 'In' and I've been very disappointed all year. I think the campaign's been shoddy on all sides, I just think treating the general public like we're stupid and not listening to what people really want."
Duncan, 50s
"I voted Conservative. The economy and jobs growth has been excellent for the last few years, the UK has been doing really well despite what you read in the paper. I want to make sure that continues, that's my number one concern, and I think Brexit is completely overblown as an issue."
Natalie, 30, mother
"The NHS and University fees … having just finished university and ending up with such a big bill at the end of it, I think it's just wrong. Especially for young people coming up; I have two kids and I don't want them to be left with the debt that I have been left. And our NHS as well just needs saving. I voted Labour."
Alistair, 62, civil servant
"I voted Liberal Democrat. I'm passionately against us leaving the European Union, so that's what caused my vote to be cast for the party that is most keen for us not to leave. It's the reason the election was called, and I'm very surprised how little it's been discussed in the election campaign. I think politicians and the electorate got a bit distracted by other issues."
Topics: world-politics, federal-parliament, united-kingdom, european-union
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