Turnout in Northern Ireland, at 57.47%. is the lowest in the history of Westminster elections.
The percentage turning out to vote has been consistently lower than the UK as a whole, with 2005 being the last time turnout was greater.
Average turnout at general elections since 2010 is 61%. The highest was 2017 with turnout of approximately 65% and the lowest was 2010 at 58%, commentator David McCann noted.
In 2019, just over 62% of the electorate turned out, a drop from 65.6% in 2017, both higher than 2015 at 58.4%. Turnout for Westminster closely aligns to Assembly elections, both higher than local polls.
Even in the ‘every vote counts’ constituency of Fermanagh and Omagh, once known for breaking turnout records, the percentage voting dropped to 66%. Only once since 2001 has turnout been less than 70%.
But the constituency at least helped to keep the total percentage from being even lower. Only two other constituencies managed to have a more than 60% vote, Mid Ulster and Lagan Valley.
There were a number of stand out low turnouts that barely broke the half of the electorate, including Foyle at 52% and West Belfast just a percentage point more. Strangford was in the same range.
Turnout in more recent elections contrasts with the 1990s when it hovered around the late 60s.
At 59%, Scotland also recorded its lowest turnout in history.
Turnout at 60% across the UK is the second lowest in a UK election since 1885. Only 2001 was lower with 59%.
