Young people aren't voting in local elections because they say they lack information on candidates

A University of Otago study reveals people aged 18 to 24 want to vote - but they don't have the knowledge to make an informed decision.

Doctoral student Kyle Whitfield says 70 percent of people surveyed who voted at the last election had to find further information on candidates - because the booklets were not detailed enough.

He says candidates do need to reach out to youth, but fortunately young people are tech savvy enough to find further information.