Voter turnout has increased, survey says

KARACHI, 25 June — The voter turnout has risen gradually from the first to the third phase of the local council polls to more than 50 percent, an independent survey said.

This trend is in sharp contrast to the voting pattern in the successive general elections held in the country since 1970. The study conducted by the Pattan Development Foundation also indicates that public trust in their representatives at the local level is currently greater than it is for federal and provincial assembly members.

In the 1970 election 63 percent of the registered voters showed up in polling booths. Fifteen years later, in 1985, 52 percent of the registered voters cast their ballots in the partyless polls held by military ruler Ziaul Haq.

In 1988 the turnout fell by a further nine percent to become 43 percent, even though this was the first open election held after a long period of military rule.

In the next two elections held in 1990 and 1993 respectively the turnout was between 45 and 40 percent.

Allegations of vote manipulation surfaced and as such few people expressed faith in these polls.

There was a record low turnout in the February 1997 polls when voter participation was estimated at less than 30 percent.

According to the study, the last two governments of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif have been minority governments. This in part explains the inability of either Sharif or Benazir to consolidate themselves politically.

Political disorder has in fact become a by-product of weak political mandates owing to low turnouts in elections.

Still, political observers argue that low voter turnout does not affect democratic stability. Many Western democracies have experienced declining voters participation in recent years, but their government remain stable and function with fairly consistent political support.

In Pakistan the low turnout is attributed to voters’ indifference who feel their votes don’t count as politicians only appear in their constituencies to ask for votes. They seldom take interest in solving the problems of their constituents.