EU elections: This is what voter turnout looks like

Voter turnout may remain relatively high in today's EU elections. Polls showed a high level of willingness to vote in the run-up to the election, indicating a similar turnout to the 2019 EU elections.

Ibiza scandal causes high voter turnout in the European Union

At the time, the heated mood after the Ibiza scandal was revealed resulted in nearly 60 per cent turning out at the polls, after voter turnout had always been below 50 per cent since 1999. The 50 mark could be crossed again this time.

The very large number of ballot papers required, from which postal voting in the run-up to the election or voting at “third party” polling stations on Sunday, also indicates a high level of interest: about 15 percent of eligible voters, or 958,948 people, said they would The Ministry of Interior requested this voting card. This represents a record number for EU elections – so far: in 2019 the number was 686,249 or about ten percent of those eligible to vote.

The turnout in European Union elections is usually less than 50 percent

Compared to the National Council elections, the same high turnout rate as five years ago will of course be very low. There is usually less interest in EU elections than in National Council elections. After the first European elections in 1996, in which 67.7% participated, voter turnout in subsequent polls was always below 50% – until the last election in 2019. Interest in the EU elections reached its lowest point in 2004, when it was only Number of voters: 42.4 votes. Percent of those eligible to vote cast their ballots. In comparison, the previous negative voter turnout record for National Council elections was 74.9 percent (2013).

The relatively high level of mobilization in the 2019 EU elections, when 59.77% of eligible voters cast their ballots, was driven by internal political turmoil following the collapse of the turquoise blue coalition and the impending motion of no confidence in the then Chancellor. Sebastian the day after the Kurz (ÖVP) elections.

It may be possible to estimate the number of voters who actually participated in the EU elections this time around on election evening this year. At 11 p.m., the Ministry of Interior's announcement of the election results will also include preliminary voter turnout data. Unlike previous elections, this already includes most ballot papers, as the majority of votes cast this way will be counted on Sunday due to the electoral law reform passed in 2023. Voter turnout will only increase slightly on Monday when remaining postal votes are added also.

(Source: APA)