Karnataka sees high turnout, but this election also hit many lows

BENGALURU: Karnataka recorded its highest voter turnout this Lok Sabha election with a poll percentage of 68.61%, beating the 1999 record of 67.58 %. While several factors, including a political wave, local issues, better electoral roll and facilities at polling stations, and voter awareness could have played a role in bringing more voters to the polling booths this time, an analysis of poll data of the last few Lok Sabha elections reveals that the gap in voter turnout in constituencies with the highest and lowest polling percentages in the state continues to remain huge.

In the 2004 elections, Kolar polled the highest (72.13%), whereas Bengaluru South recorded the lowest at 49.42%. The gap in the voting percentage in these two constituencies was about 23%. Cut to 2019, the gap between the highest polled constituency (Mandya - 80.23%) and the lowest (Bengaluru South - 53.47%) has only grown. There is a difference of about 27%, an increase by about 5% compared with what it was 15 years ago.

Also, an analysis of last four general elections shows a pattern of how a few constituencies have consistently voted better, whereas a few have always remained at the bottom with a very thin growth in voter turnout. Constituencies like Dakshina Kannada, Kolar and Chikkaballapur have seen a voter turnout of above 70%, whereas the turnout in constituencies in Bengaluru Urban, Raichur and Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) have never crossed 60%.

The challenge before the election authorities is not only to sustain the higher voter turnout but also to reduce the gap and ensure that even the lowest-polled constituencies fare better in future elections.