Jersey has lowest voter turnout of OECD countries

The turnout in the 2022 election was 41.7%, the third lowest over the same period, said the report

Jersey has the lowest voter turnout among members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to a report.

The report found that the average turnout in Jersey elections over the past 30 years was 44.1% while the OECD average was 68%.

The turnout in the 2022 election was 41.7%, the third lowest over the same period, said the report.

The most common reason for not voting was that it would make no difference.

The report, written by Sir Mark Boleat and published by the think tank Policy Centre Jersey, analysed the key statistics of voter turnout in Jersey.

It said turnout in Guernsey's last election in 2020 was 79.7%, nearly double the Jersey figure.

The voter registration rate in Jersey was also low with only 75% of those eligible to vote registering to do so for the 2022 election.

The report cited opinion surveys that suggested the main reasons for not voting were a sense of apathy, distrust and disinterest towards the political system and the candidates.

The most common reasons given were:

• Wouldn't have made a difference (30%)

• Don't trust the political system (28%)

• Not interested in the election (24%)

• Didn't know enough about the candidates (22%)

The report recommended some measures to increase voter turnout within the current electoral arrangements, such as:

• Increasing postal voting by providing an option for it in voter registration forms.

• Simplifying the voter registration form by removing unnecessary wording and giving a single return point.

The report also suggested that more fundamental reforms of the electoral system and the political culture may be needed to address the underlying causes of low turnout and to enhance democratic participation.

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