2019 European elections register EU wide increase in voter turnout

This year’s European Parliament elections saw a union wide increase in voter turn-out, a Eurobarometer report has shown.

In 2019, the polls registered the highest voter turn-out since the 1994 elections, at 50.66%, and saw an increase of 8.06% from 2014, when the turnout stood at 42.60%.

19 Member States reported increase in national turnout, with significant increases in Poland, Romania, Spain, Austria, Hungary and Germany.

Countries with traditionally low turnouts, also showed substantial increases in countries like Slovakia and Czechia.

Turnout decreased in eight countries, but by no more than 3% in any of them.

A greater sense of civic duty was attributed to the increase in voter turn-out, as 52% of voters felt that it was their duty as a citizen to vote.

35% said that they always voted, 25% said that they are in favour of the EU, while 22% cited loyalty to the political party as a reason to vote.

Socio-demographic analysis also revealed that a higher turnout was seen in all age groups, but a much higher turnout was registered amongst young people and first-time voters.

Although older people remain more likely to vote, the increase between 2014 and 2019 is larger among young people aged under 25 who registered a 14% increase, and aged 25–39, with a 12% increase, when compared with those aged 55 or over, who only registered a 3% increase.

Malta registered a 72.70% voter turnout, a 2.1% decrease from 2014, when the turnout stood at 74.80%.

On Sunday, statistics by the Electoral Commission revealed that the cost for last May’s election stood at €7 million, including an expense of €2 million for the new electronic counting system.