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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 2010200520011997 general elections, and for Westminster by-elections, the London Mayor elections, and for European parliament elections.

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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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