Why do metro cities report low voter turnout? Explained

In the 2019 elections, 17 out of 50 Lok Sabha constituencies, mostly in metropolitan cities and urban centers, reported the lowest voter turnout. Experts and electoral officers have attributed this trend to what they call "urban apathy." This phenomenon is characterized by a disengagement among urban voters due to factors like laziness, lack of interest, and lack of awareness. According to an opinion piece in a prestigious newspaper by the former deputy mayor of Shimla, "Urban apathy is not a result of individuals’ subjectivity but a manifestation of the depoliticized environment and the belief that 'nothing will change'." Additionally, urban issues such as poverty, crime, environmental degradation, and politics are not receiving the attention they deserve, contributing to the lack of interest among the urban populace.

To address the issue, the Election Commission has undertaken various initiatives, such as the 'You are the One' campaign, to enhance voter participation. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, for instance, has identified 2,000 polling booths with low voter turnout and has implemented measures like door-to-door engagement, targeted SMS campaigns, signature campaigns, and flash mobs at malls to boost voter awareness.

The Election Commission’s flagship program, Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP), aims to educate voters about the electoral process to increase awareness and promote participation. In Bengaluru, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has collaborated with IT-BT companies to promote voting awareness among employees and requested paid leave on polling day. Additionally, the Pune district election office is focusing on registering students to vote and engaging young people in the age group of 20 to 29 years. They are also targeting an increase in the turnout of women voters in slum areas through self-help groups.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has directed municipal commissioners, District Election Officers, and state Chief Electoral Officers to prepare a booth-wise action plan for enhanced participation and behavior change. He stressed that the “one size fits all” approach will not yield results and authorities should act in a manner that “instils pride among the voters in participating in the democratic festivities”.

The Election Commission Data reveals that 17 out of 50 Lok Sabha constituencies, mostly in metropolitan cities and urban centers, reported the lowest voter turnout in the 2019 elections.

In the previous election, Hyderabad recorded a mere 44.84% voter turnout, ranking fourth on the list, trailing behind Anantnag, Srinagar, and Baramulla. Other major cities, including Pune (49.89%), Mumbai South (51%), and Bangalore South (53.70%), were also on the list. Cities such as Kanpur, Allahabad, Lucknow, and Nagpur failed to surpass the 55% voter participation mark.

Delhi’s 56.87% turnout in the last Lok Sabha election was hardly noteworthy, and Chennai parliamentary constituency did not feature in the lowest list.

In the Phase 1 of the 2024 Lok Sabha Election on April 19, three constituencies in Chennai recorded a lower turnout than in the previous three elections. Chennai Central registered the lowest at 53.91%, against 58.75% in 2019.

Experts and electoral officers have blamed “urban apathy” for the lack of enthusiasm among voters.

What is Urban Apathy?

The EC has said there is a worrying trend of disengagement among urban voters.

“Laziness”, “lack of interest”, and “lack of awareness” were the various reasons why people don’t vote”.

According to an Opinion piece in Deccan Herald by former deputy mayor of Shimla, “Urban apathy is not a result of individuals’ subjectivity, but a manifestation of the depoliticized environment and the belief that ‘nothing will change’. As a result, people lack interest in urban issues and problems, such as poverty, crime, environmental degradation, and politics, which affects the cities and its residents. This phenomenon is also a reflection of the large scale informalization of the major sectors that provide employment in the cities, making it a daunting task for individuals to survive and obtain the bare minimum.”

Curbing Low Turnout:

The Election Commission has recently said it has identified 266 parliamentary constituencies, including 215 in rural areas, with low voter turnout and has planned targeted intervention to enhance voting percentage in the upcoming polls. EC’s ‘You are the One’ campaign seeks to recognize the importance of different stakeholders in the election process, including polling machinery, in ensuring that no voter is left behind.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has identified around 2,000 polling booths with a dismal voter turnout of 50% or less where challenges such as removing ineligible voters from electoral rolls and relocating thousands of voters to resolve split voter issues have been addressed, as mentioned in a report by Hindustan Times.

The corporation has employed measures such as door-to-door engagement with residents, targeted SMS campaigns using property taxpayer data, signature campaigns, and flash mobs at malls to amplify voter awareness.

The Election Commission’s flagship program Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) is to educate voters and citizens about the electoral process to increase awareness and promote their participation. SVEEP is designed according to the socio-economic, cultural, and demographic profile of the state as well as the history of electoral participation in previous rounds of elections, as per the EC website.

In Bengaluru, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has collaborated with IT-BT companies to promote voting awareness among employees and has requested them to provide paid leave on polling day. “Bengaluru has historically seen low voter turnout during elections, and we are trying to change that by creating a conducive environment through interacting with RWAs, using social media, organizing various events such as Cyclothons, padayatras, two-wheeler and three-wheeler rallies. This time, voter slips will also have QR codes that will give the location of the polling stations,” said Tushar Giri Nath, BBMP commissioner, as quoted by the Hindustan Times report.

The Pune district election office has issued instructions to target constituencies that had low voter turnout in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. For example, special attention is being given to registering students to vote, and engaging young people in the age group of 20 to 29 years. A senior Pune district election official said they are focusing on increasing the turnout of women voters in slum areas through self-help groups. Workers in industrial areas are receiving counseling, house visits have been conducted to engage voters. Awareness campaigns through banners, posters, and rallies have been launched in villages, as mentioned in the Hindustan Times report.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar in a press conference on ‘Low Voter Turnout’ early April directed municipal commissioners (MCs), District Election Officers (DEOs), and state Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) to prepare a booth-wise action plan for enhanced participation and behavior change. Kumar asked all MCs and DEOs to prepare different strategies for urban and rural areas and plan interventions accordingly for different target audiences. He stressed that the “one size fits all” approach will not yield results. So, authorities should act in a manner that “instils pride among the voters in participating in the democratic festivities,” he added.