Election Turnout
 | 'Turnout is low - there is something sick in the heart of our politics.'
Former Lib Dem leader, Paddy Ashdown, 7 th June 2001. |  |
Turnout
One worrying factor for all politicians, and indeed for anybody with an interest in democracy and good government, is the falling turnout. Between 1950 and 1992, Scottish turnout had ebbed and flowed between a high of 81.2 % in 1951 and a low of 72.7 % in 1983. In 1997, the Scottish turnout fell to 71.3 %, the lowest since 1945. In 2001, turnout crashed to just 58.2 %, the lowest since 1918 when many servicemen were still abroad.
| Turnout at Westminster elections, 1885 - 2005 |
|---|
| Election |
Scotland |
UK |
| 1885 | 82.0 % | 81.2 % |
| 1886 | 72.3 % | 74.2 % |
| 1892 | 78.3 % | 77.4 % |
| 1895 | 76.3 % | 78.4 % |
| 1900 | 75.3 % | 75.1 % |
| 1906 | 80.9 % | 83.2 % |
| 1910 Jan | 84.7 % | 86.8 % |
| 1910 Dec | 81.8 % | 81.6 % |
| 1918 | 55.1 % | 57.2 % |
| 1922 | 70.4 % | 73.0 % |
| 1923 | 67.9 % | 71.1 % |
| 1924 | 75.1 % | 77.0 % |
| 1929 | 73.5 % | 76.3 % |
| 1931 | 77.4 % | 76.4 % |
| 1935 | 72.6 % | 71.1 % |
| 1945 | 69.0 % | 72.8 % |
| 1950 | 80.9 % | 83.9 % |
| 1951 | 81.2 % | 82.6 % |
| 1955 | 75.1 % | 76.8 % |
| 1959 | 78.1 % | 78.7 % |
| 1964 | 77.6 % | 77.1 % |
| 1966 | 76.0 % | 75.8 % |
| 1970 | 74.1 % | 72.0 % |
| 1974 Feb | 79.0 % | 78.8 % |
| 1974 Oct | 74.8 % | 72.8% |
| 1979 | 76.8 % | 76.0 % |
| 1983 | 72.7 % | 72.7 % |
| 1987 | 75.1 % | 75.3 % |
| 1992 | 75.5 % | 77.7 % |
| 1997 | 71.3 % | 71.4 % |
| 2001 | 58.2 % | 59.4 % |
| 2005 | 60.8 % | 61.4 % |
Highest turnouts in 2001
| Rank | Constituency | % |
|---|
| 1 | Eastwood | 70.8 % |
| 2 | Ayr | 69.3 % |
| 3 | Stirling | 67.7 % |
| 4 | Galloway & Upper Nithsdale | 67.4 % |
| 5 | Dumfries | 67.0% |
Lowest turnouts in 2001
| Rank | Constituency | % |
|---|
| 1 | Glasgow Shettleston | 39.7 % |
| 2 | Glasgow Maryhill | 40.1 % |
| 3 | Glasgow Kelvin | 43.4 % |
| 4 | Glasgow Springburn | 43.7 % |
| 5 | Glasgow Govan | 46.8 % |
Biggest drop in turnout in 2001
| Rank | Constituency | % drop |
|---|
| 1 | Glasgow Govan | - 17.8 % |
| 2 | Airdrie & Shotts | - 17.0 % |
| 3 | Glasgow Kelvin | - 16.3 % |
| 4 | Ochil | - 16.1 % |
| 5 | Glasgow Shettleston | - 16.0 % |
Lowest drop in turnout in 2001
| Rank | Constituency | % drop |
|---|
| 1 | Eastwood | - 7.4 % |
| 2 | Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber | - 8.8 % |
| 3 | Ross, Skye & Inverness West | - 9.4 % |
| 4 | Western Isles | - 9.5 % |
| 5 | Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross | - 9.8 % |
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