Election turnout in Foyle fell by 11 per cent to lowest point in history
A new report on the recent General Election has confirmed turnout in Foyle dropped by 11 per cent between 2019 and 2024 to a historic low in the constituency.
An analysis by Dr. Raymond Russell of the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Research and Information Service shows that compared with 2019, turnout fell in all 18 constituencies, with the largest percentage drops recorded in Belfast North (13.5 per cent), Foyle (11 per cent) and Belfast South and Mid Down (9.4 per cent).
In Foyle 38,765 (52.7 per cent) of an eligible electorate of 73,496 turned out earlier this month.
This is the lowest turnout that has been recorded since the constituency was formed in 1983.
Prior to that contested elections in the old ‘Londonderry’ Westminster constituency never featured turnouts as low as 52.7 per cent.
In 2024 only Strangford posted a lower percentage turnout with 39,046 (52.4 per cent) of an eligible electorate of 74,525 casting ballots.
In Foyle turnout declined from 58 per cent in 2011 to 53.6 per cent in 2015. There was a substantial recovery to 65.6 per cent in 2017 and 63.7 per cent in 2019, before turnout fell back again to 52.7 per cent in 2024.
The average percentage across the North was 57.5 per cent. The total eligible electorate was 1,363,961 (compared with 1,293,971 in 2019), an increase of 69,990 (5.4 per cent). The total number of votes polled was 783,909, down from 803,367 in 2019, representing a decrease of 19,458 votes (2.4 per cent)
Turnout across the UK was 60 per cent, compared with 67.3 per cent in 2019.