Mumbai Disappoints Again: Why The City Recorded Poor Voter Turnout?

Mumbai Voter Turnout: The polling process for the Maharashtra Assembly elections has concluded. On Saturday, November 23, the results will shed light on whether the Mahayuti alliance or the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will secure a mandate to form the next state government.

Maharashtra voter turnout

According to provisional data from the Election Commission’s Voter Turnout App as of 8 p.m., Maharashtra recorded a voter turnout of 58.41 percent. Mumbai, which has a reputation for voter apathy, once again registered a low turnout.

In the last two Assembly elections, voter participation in Mumbai barely crossed 50 percent. During the 2019 polls, Mumbai saw a turnout of 50.67 percent, a slight drop from the 51.21 percent recorded in 2014. This trend raises the question: why does “Maximum City” exhibit such low enthusiasm for voting?

Mumbai voter turnout in 2024

In the 2024 elections, approximately 1.02 crore voters in the city were eligible to vote, including 54.67 lakh male voters, 47.62 lakh female voters, and 1,082 transgender voters. However, turnout figures remained disappointing across both Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban districts.

Data from the Election Commission as of 8 p.m. shows that Mumbai City recorded a turnout of 49.07 percent, while Mumbai Suburban reported 51.92 percent. Among Assembly constituencies in Mumbai City, Colaba reported the lowest turnout at 41.64 percent, followed by Mumbadevi at 46.10 percent. In Mumbai Suburban, Chandivali and Versova recorded the poorest participation with 47.05 percent and 47.45 percent, respectively, while Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar followed closely with 47.46 percent.

Mumbai urban voter apathy

Earlier this year, during the Lok Sabha elections, city’s urban voter apathy was a major point of discussion. The city recorded a turnout of 52.4 percent, reflecting a three percent drop from 55.4 percent in 2019. The 2019 Lok Sabha turnout remains the highest in recent history, followed by this year’s participation.

In response to the city’s chronic voter apathy, the Election Commission undertook several initiatives to encourage participation. According to reports, the district election officer requested that businesses, establishments, and employers within the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) jurisdiction grant employees paid leave on Wednesday, November 20, to enable them to vote.

Historical trends in Mumbai’s voter turnout

Polling stations were equipped with facilities such as drinking water, seating arrangements, waiting rooms, fans, toilets, and wheelchairs. This followed complaints during the Lok Sabha elections earlier in the year about inadequate amenities at some booths.

Mumbai’s voter apathy is not a new phenomenon. Before 2014, turnout in the city rarely exceeded 50 percent. In the 1999 Assembly elections, voter participation was 44.9 percent, which improved to 48.4 percent in 2004 but declined again to 46.1 percent in 2009. The turnout finally crossed the 50 percent mark in the 2014 polls, reaching 51.21 percent, as per reports. However, the city continues to grapple with voter indifference.

Read More: Why Mumbai Does Not Turn Up To Vote: ‘Value Luxury More Than Voting’