Yesterday’s voter turnout of 92.07% was the lowest turnout figure since the 1966 election, although it was only less than one percentage point lower than 2013’s turnout figure of 92.98%.
In what can be described as a very long and painstaking night in politics, both the Nationalist and Labour parties have spent hours poring over the voter turnout figures in each electoral district, closely analysing who were those who decided to not cast a vote in yesterday’s general election.
The lowest turnout was in the 12th District, which saw a turnout rate of 87.84%, while the highest was in the Fourth District, which saw 93.85% of eligible voters casting a vote.
Officials from both parties who spoke to this newsroom confirmed that the data on who ‘stayed home’ in this election is the first barometer to indicate which way the election will sway.
The Labour Party was the only party that conducted an exit poll yesterday but the exercise was abandoned after the Electoral Commission issued the 2pm turnout figures. Based on those figures, the PL was confident that the election will be won later on today when the final results are out. Our sources tell us that thorough analysis of those who didn’t vote, coupled with the constant survey results throughout the campaign, gives comfort to the PL that the election can be won.
However, sources within the Nationalist Party were cautiously optimistic, although treading carefully, last night. Based on the turnout in traditional PN strongholds, the Nationalists seemed satisfied that the anti-PN wave that had characterised the 2013 election and its 36,000 vote deficit will not repeat itself later on today. Whether this will result in a PN victory is still hard to tell but our sources within the PN said that party officials have been ‘cautiously optimistic’ throughout the night.
A breakdown of the approximate turnout, district by district, can be found here:
District 1 - Valletta, Floriana, Hamrun, Marsa, Pieta, Gwardamanga tal-pieta, Santa Ventera
District 2 - Vittoriosa (Birgu), Senglea (Isla), Cospicua (Bormla), Zabbar, part of Fgura, Kalkara, Xghajra
District 3 - Zejtun, Ghaxaq, Marsaskala, Marsaxlokk
District 4 - Fgura, Gudja, Paola, Santa Lucija, Tarxien
District 5 - Birzebbuga, Mqabba, Kirkop, Hal Farrug -Luqa, Qrendi, Safi, Zurrieq, Bubaqra - Zurrieq
District 6 - Qormi, Siggiewi, Luqa
District 7 - Zebbug, Dingli, Mgarr, Mtarfa, Rabat, Bahrija, tal-virtu
District 8 - Balzan, Birkirkara, Fleur-de-lys, Swatar -Birkirkara, Iklin, Lija
District 9 - Gharghur, Msida, Swatar - Msida, San Gwann, Swieqi, Madliena - Swieqi, Ta' Xbiex
District 10 - Gzira, parts of Naxxar, Bahar ic-Caghaq - Naxxar, Pembroke, St Julian's, Paceville - St Julian's, Sliema
District 11 - Mdina, Attard, Mosta, Burmarrad - St Paul's Bay
District 12 - Mellieha, Naxxar, St Paul's Bay
District 13 - Gozo
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More than half the eligible voters had cast their preference by 2pm, midway through the voting exercise, the Electoral Commission said.
The highest turnout was in the first district, at over 56 per cent. The lowest is the seventh district, with 49.26 per cent, while in four other districts the number of voters who cast their vote is also below 50%.
Four years ago, the turnout at 2pm was 49%.
See table below as published by the Electoal Commission.
