Turnout lowest in history of State

The turnout in last week's general election was the lowest in the history of the State.

With just 62.73 per cent of the electorate going out to vote, the poll marked the fourth time in a row that the turnout figure fell.

Worryingly for the political establishment, the latest decline occurred in spite of longer opening hours at the polling stations and a number of drives in recent years to encourage people to register on the electorate.

Voter turnout has now fallen seven times in the last eight general elections, with only 1987 bucking the trend by showing a marginal increase in the numbers voting.

The decision to keep polling booths open from 7.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. last Friday led to greater numbers voting in the first half of the day, and particularly in the morning before voters went to work. However, numbers tailed off in the second half of the day, and there was little of the traditional last-minute rush to vote before polling stations closed.

Turnout is likely to have been depressed, to some extent, by the appalling weather on Friday.