Voter turnout – previous events
Updated: 7 November 2023
Voter turnout is calculated by dividing the sum of formal and informal votes by the final enrolment figure. The final enrolment figure is the total number of people who are entitled to vote in an election. Rejected declaration votes are not included in the voter turnout calculation.
Elections for the House of Representatives and Senate do not need to be held on the same date. Referendums do not have to be held in conjunction with another election.
| Year | Senate (%) | House of Representatives (%) | Referendum (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 54.28 | 56.68 | – |
| 1903 | 46.86 | 50.27 | – |
| 1906 | 50.21 | 51.48 | 50.17 |
| 1910 | 62.16 | 62.80 | 62.16 |
| 1911 | – | – | 53.31 |
| 1913 | 73.66 | 73.49 | 73.66 |
| 1914 | 72.64 | 73.53 | – |
| 1916 | – | – | 82.75[2] |
| 1917[1] | 77.69 | 78.30 | 81.34[2] |
| 1919 | 71.33 | 71.59 | 71.33 |
| 1922 | 57.95 | 59.38 | – |
| 1925 | 91.31 | 91.38 | – |
| 1926 | – | – | 91.07 |
| 1928 | 93.61 | 93.62 | 93.61 |
| 1929 | – | 94.74 | – |
| 1931 | 95.02 | 95.02 | – |
| 1934 | 95.03 | 95.16 | – |
| 1937[1] | 96.11 | 96.12 | 94.06 |
| 1940 | 94.76 | 94.80 | – |
| 1943 | 96.31 | 96.29 | – |
| 1944 | – | – | 96.47 |
| 1946 | 93.97 | 93.95 | 93.97 |
| 1948 | – | – | 93.56 |
| 1949 | 95.97 | 95.94 | – |
| 1951[1] | 95.99 | 95.97 | 95.58 |
| 1953 | 94.93 | – | – |
| 1954 | – | 96.05 | – |
| 1955 | 95.01 | 95.00 | – |
| 1958 | 95.48 | 95.44 | – |
| 1961 | 95.27 | 95.22 | – |
| 1963 | – | 95.71 | – |
| 1964 | 94.49 | – | – |
| 1966 | – | 95.13 | – |
| 1967[1] | 95.11 | – | 93.84 |
| 1969 | – | 94.97 | – |
| 1970 | 93.98 | – | – |
| 1972 | – | 95.38 | – |
| 1973 | – | – | 93.39 |
| 1974 | 95.50 | 95.40 | 95.50 |
| 1975 | 95.39 | 95.39 | – |
| 1977[1] | 95.08 | 95.08 | 92.28 |
| 1980 | 94.35 | 94.35 | – |
| 1983 | 94.64 | 94.64 | – |
| 1984 | 94.55 | 94.19 | 94.01 |
| 1987 | 94.34 | 93.84 | – |
| 1988 | – | – | 92.13 |
| 1990 | 95.81 | 95.31 | – |
| 1993 | 96.22 | 95.75 | – |
| 1996 | 96.20 | 95.77 | – |
| 1998 | 95.34 | 94.99 | – |
| 1999 | – | – | 95.10 |
| 2001 | 95.20 | 94.85 | – |
| 2004 | 94.82 | 94.32 | – |
| 2007 | 95.17 | 94.76 | – |
| 2010 | 93.83 | 93.22 | – |
| 2013 | 93.88 | 93.23 | – |
| 2014[3] | 88.50 | – | – |
| 2016 | 91.93 | 91.01 | – |
| 2019 | 92.48 | 91.89 | – |
| 2022 | 90.47 | 89.82 | – |
| 2023 | - | - | 89.95 |
- Federal elections and referendums were not held on the same day.
- The military service referendums of 1916 and 1917 were not Constitutional referendums and the result was not binding on the government. For this reason they are usually referred to as plebiscites.
- WA Senate election.
Source:
- Electoral Pocketbook
- Parliamentary Handbook, Department of the Parliamentary Library, AGPS Canberra, 1996
- Commonwealth Election and Referendum Statistics 1901–1975. Pg 13 & 36. Australian Electoral Office, AGPS Canberra, 1976
- AEC Election Statistics (misc)