VOTER turnout on Thursday appeared to be in line with the previous general election, according to returning officers, despite predictions of a voting lull.
The election was expected to have a relatively low voter turnout due to widespread disenchantment with politics, but the actual percentage may remain consistent with the 2019 election, according to The Times.
Worth saying that if turnout the same as last election, returning officers' anecdotal evidence suggests, that's still fairly high Was 67% in 2019, lower than 2017 but higher than any other since 1997 1997 was 71% - at the time a postwar low 2001 fell to a record low of 59% https://t.co/a6wFNaCayr
— Chris Smyth (@Smyth_Chris) July 4, 2024
The Conservatives claimed turnout had been “higher than expected” despite suggestions that predictions of a comfortable Labour victory would mean many voters stayed at home.
However, Peter Stanyon, chief executive of the Association of Electoral Administrators, told The Times: “We’re expecting turnout to be comparable to what it was in the last general election.”
With returning officers reporting “busy” polling stations, Stanyon said: “There’s certainly not been a massive drop-off or far more people voting. It’s hard to know for sure but we seem to be in about the same sort of region we were last time.”
The 67% turnout in 2019 was lower than 2017 but higher than any other election since 1997.
