General election turnout 1945 – 2010

The chart below shows the percentage of registered voters who actually voted at each general election from 1945–2010, excluding votes deliberately or accidentally spoiled. Voter turnout data is also available for individual constituencies at the 2010 – 2005 – 2001 – 1997 general elections, and for Westminster by-elections, the London Mayor elections, and for European parliament elections.

The table below shows the same data, in reverse order, together with the percentage turnout for each of the four regions. To sort the table click on the column headings:

General election turnout since 1945, by region
Year	UK	England	Wales	Scotland	N.Ireland
2010	65.1	65.5	64.7	63.8	57.6
2005	61.4	61.3	62.6	60.8	62.9
2001	59.4	59.2	61.6	58.2	68
1997	71.4	71.4	73.5	71.3	67.1
1992	77.7	78	79.7	75.5	69.8
1987	75.3	75.4	78.9	75.1	67
1983	72.7	72.5	76.1	72.7	72.9
1979	76	75.9	79.4	76.8	67.7
1974 Oct	72.8	72.6	76.6	74.8	67.7
1974 Feb	78.8	79	80	79	69.9
1970	72	71.4	77.4	74.1	76.6
1966	75.8	75.9	79	76	66.1
1964	77.1	77	80.1	77.6	71.7
1959	78.7	78.9	82.6	78.1	65.9
1955	76.8	76.9	79.6	75.1	74.1
1951	82.6	82.7	84.4	81.2	79.9
1950	83.9	84.4	84.8	80.9	77.4
1945	72.8	73.4	75.7	69	67.4

Source: House of Commons Research Papers 01/54, 05/33 & 10/36.

The table below shows estimated 2010 general election turnout by age and gender, based on voting intention surveys conducted by Ipsos MORI:

Estimated 2010 general election turnout by age and gender
Voters	Turnout %
Gender
Male	66%
Female	64%

Age
18-24	44%
25-34	55%
35-44	66%
45-54	69%
55-64	73%
65+	76%

Source: Ipsos MORI, How Britain Voted in 2010.

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