Turnout: what it means
The share of registered voters who voted in an election. Small differences in how it is calculated can change the figure.
Turnout is the proportion of the electorate who voted. It is normally calculated as the number of votes cast divided by the number of people on the electoral register for that election.
Why it matters when checking a claim
- Valid votes or ballot papers? Some figures count only valid votes; others include rejected ballot papers. The Electoral Commission states its definition in its results data.
- Registered voters, not adults. Turnout uses the register, not the whole adult population. People who are eligible but not registered are not counted, so turnout as a share of the eligible population is lower.
- Compare like with like. General, local, devolved and by-election turnouts differ greatly. Changes to the franchise or voter ID rules can also affect comparisons over time.
See how many people are registered to vote and the Electoral Commission source guide.
Also searched as: voter turnout, turnout uk general election, election turnout meaning
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Related terms
- First past the post: The voting system used for UK general elections: each constituency elects one MP, and the candidate with the most votes wins, even without a majority.
- By-election: An election held to fill a single vacant seat between general elections, for example after an MP resigns, dies or is removed by a recall petition.
- Swing: A measure of how far support has moved between two parties since a previous election, usually the average of one party's gain and the other's loss.
More parliament and elections terms: First past the post · Short money · Statutory instrument · Royal Assent · Second reading · Working majority · By-election · Swing · Division (vote in Parliament).