Year 2009 saw the lowest turnout of voters for A’bad Lok Sabha in past five decades

Highest voter turnout of 68.3% in 2019; State witnessed lowest turnout in 1991 with 48.8%

Vaibhav Parwat

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: In a comprehensive review of the voting patterns in Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituency spanning nearly five decades, it has been revealed that the year 2009 witnessed the lowest voter turnout, standing at a mere 42.2 percent after 1980. Conversely, the highest voter participation was observed in 2019, marking a historic turnout of 68.3 percent.

As per the data, voter engagement has oscillated between 50 to 58 percent in various elections held between 1977 and 2019. Notably, the month of April has traditionally hosted the Lok Sabha elections, coinciding with scorching temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.

This year, however, elections have been scheduled in May for the first time, with authorities bracing for the impact of rising temperatures on voter participation. Recognizing the importance of voting, efforts have been made by the administration to raise awareness and encourage citizens to cast their ballots.

Voter Literacy Club formed

In a bid to bolster voter literacy and engagement, the administration has established the Voter Literacy Club, deploying Campus Ambassadors in colleges and conducting awareness camps across various segments of society, including self-help groups and professional associations. Further initiatives include a three-day photo exhibition at the railway station till May 9, and audio tapes disseminated at bus stands and Smart City CCTV poles to enhance public awareness about the electoral process.

-Devendra Katke, deputy collector of the election department.

Boxx:

-Voter turnout in Aurangabad Lok Sabha elections (1977 to 2019):

Year 1977

Electors: 6,56,996

Male : 3,23,598

Female : 3,33,398

Booths: 812

Total Votes Polled: 3,69,030 (56.2%)

1980

Electors: 7,56,127

Male : 3,81,557

Female : 3,74,570

Booths: 887

Total Votes Polled: 3,46,335 (45.8%)

1984

Electors: 8,49,481

Male : 4,25,137

Female : 4,24,344

Booths: 983

Total Votes Polled: 4,99,332 (58.8%)

1989

Electors: 11,45,802

Male : 5,85,788

Female : 5,60,014

Booths: 1,245

Total Votes Polled: 6,86,825 (59.9%)

1991

Electors: 12,05,538

Male : 6,22,326

Female : 5,83,212

Booths: 1,345

Total Votes Polled: 5,83,145 (48.4%)

1996

Electors: 13,18,963

Male : 6,93,003

Female : 6,25,960

Booths: 1,867

Total Votes Polled: 6,97,581 (52.9%)

1998

Electors: 13,41,648

Male : 6,94,030

Female : 6,47,618

Booths: 1,869

Total Votes Polled: 8,23,766 (61.4%)

1999

Electors: 13,72,209

Male : 7,09,925

Female : 6,62,284

Booths: 1,873

Total Votes Polled: 9,06,465 (66.1%)

2004

Electors: 16,36,117

Male : 8,47,300

Female : 7,88,817

Booths: 1,706

Total Votes Polled: 9,11,532 (55.7%)

2009

Electors: 14,08,798

Male : 7,38,914

Female : 6,67911

Total Votes Polled: 5,98,332 (42.2%)

Valid Votes: 5,98,307 (42.2%)

2014

Electors: 15,89,393

Male : 8,46,023

Female : 7,43,370

Total Votes Polled: 9,82,933 (61.8%)

NOTA Votes: 6,372 (0.4%)

2019

Electors: 17,62,823

Male : 9,31,190

Female : 8,31,615

Total Votes Polled: 11,98,221 (68.3%)

NOTA Votes: 4,929 (0.3%)

2024 (As on April 25, 2024)

Electors: 20,61,220

Male Electors: 10,77,809

Female Electors: 9,81,773

Others: 128

Box:

Voter turnout in Maharashtra since:

Year 1977

Electors: 2,88,56,991

Votes Polled: 1,74,04,823

Turnout: 60.3%

1980

Electors: 3,34,85,064

Votes Polled: 1,90,18,800

Turnout: 56.8%

1984

Electors: 3,63,59,537

Votes Polled: 2,24,51,250

Turnout: 61.7%

1989

Electors: 4,72,05,941

Votes Polled: 2,82,56,668

Turnout: 59.9%

1991

Electors: 4,86,31,193

Votes Polled: 2,37,08,067

Turnout: 48.8%

1996

Electors: 5,52,54,414

Votes Polled: 2,89,79,021

Turnout: 52.4%

1998

Electors: 5,62,05,250

Votes Polled: 3,20,96,449

Turnout: 57.1%

1999

Electors: 5,68,53,196

Votes Polled: 3,46,60,007

Turnout: 61.0%

2004

Electors: 6,30,12,208

Votes Polled: 3,42,21,390

Turnout: 54.3%

2009

Electors: 7,29,54,060

Votes Polled: 3,68,74,353

Turnout: 50.5%

2014

Electors: 8,07,17,283

Votes Polled: 4,87,18,844

Turnout: 60.4%

2019

Electors: 8,43,63,350

Votes Polled: 5,40,54,245

Turnout: 64.1%