ISLAMABAD: The voter turnout in general elections has decreased since 2013, despite more people being eligible to vote, highlighting widespread “apathy” among the population to exercise the democratic right, a new report has found.

The turnout in the 2013 general election was 55.5 per cent, which reduced to 52pc in 2018 and 48pc in 2024, according to the analysis by the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen).

Till 2013, the voter turnout had increased in every election — from 41.7pc in 2002 to 44.4pc in 2008 to 55.5pc in 2013.

Fafen report says only 48pc cast votes in 2024, compared to 55.5pc in 2013; calls for more effort to engage people

The dip in voter turnout in the past 11 years was despite continuous growth in the numbers of polled votes.

In the 2002 general elections, 30 million votes were cast. The number grew by 18pc to 35.64m in 2008, by 32pc 46.91m in 2013, by 17pc to 54.73m in 2018 and by 12pc to 61.28m in 2024.

Overall, total votes polled rose significantly from 30,012,407 in GE-2002 to 61,282,920 in GE-2024. However, notwithstanding the increase in absolute numbers, voter turnout in the country has exhibited notable fluctuations across recent general elections.

The report also highlighted a significant discrepancy between urban and rural turnout.

In 2024, the voter turnout in urban areas was 43.8pc, significantly lower than 50.1pc in rural areas.

Gender divide

The 2018 election was the first time when the Election Commission of Pakistan mandated the reporting of gender-wise turnout data at polling stations. Therefore, the analysis on the basis of gender could only be done on the turnouts in the 2018 and 2024 elections.

Compared to 2018, both female and male voter turnout in 2024 declined across all regions except Islamabad.

Despite this drop, the proportion of female voters in the total votes polled increased, narrowing the gender gap in turnout.

The difference between male and female turnout rates decreased from 10 percentage points in 2018 to nine in 2024. Notably, women cast 24.4m of the 58.9m total votes in 2024, an increase of 2.7m compared to 2018.

This was double the 1.6m increase seen in male votes.

In terms of numbers, progress can be seen in the declining gender gap in votes polled — from 11.19m (20.4pc) in 2018 to 10.11m (16.5pc) in 2024.

According to the report, even though the gender gap in votes polled decreased, it didn’t offset the overall decline in voter turnout.

In 2018, the male voter turnout was 56.1pc, which dropped to 51.8pc in 2024, while female turnout was 46.9pc and 42.7pc, respectively.

The number of constituencies where female turnout remained less than men increased from 249 in 2018 to 250 in 2024.

The data showed that efforts for the registration of female voters were yielding results, but “more needs to be done” to address the gender gap in polling and ensure women’s full participation in the democratic process.

Disengaged voters

A comparison between 2018 and 2024 general elections reveals a stark shift in voter turnout patterns.

The number of polling stations with very low turnout — 10pc or less — increased from 352 to 915, indicating a growing number of areas with extreme voter disengagement.

The number of constituencies with turnout rates below 30pc increased from three in 2018 to eight in 2024.

On the other hand, the turnout in 11 constituencies surpassed 60pc in 2024, compared to 23 in 2018 and 90 in 2013, reflecting a “significant decline” in the number of high-turnout constituencies.

In 2018, there were 114 ‘zero-polling stations’ — where no votes were polled. The election of 2024 saw an alarming increase in the number of such polling stations.

In 2024, 464 polling stations recorded no female votes, while 62 had no male votes.

The “disproportionate increase” in polling stations with zero women turnout and the overall increase in no-turnout polling stations is “concerning and underscores the necessity of concentrated attention, “ the report stated.

The report stated that the trends highlight the “escalating” voter apathy and disengagement, as well as the need for targeted reforms to address declining participation and promote broader electoral inclusion, particularly among women and urban voters.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2024