By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT
National Scope
Voter turnout is the percentage of votes cast over the total registered voters. Historically the voter turnout for previous Presidential elections has always been 80% and above, with 2016 and 2006 being the only exceptions. The recent December 1st 2016 Presidential elections voter turn out was a low 60%, only in 2006 did The Gambia record a similarly low voter turn out. The table below details all voter turnout percentages for previous presidential elections.
Presidential Elections | Voter Turnout | Registered Voters | Actual Votes Cast |
2016 | 60% | 886,578 | 525,606 |
2011 | 83% | 796,929 | 657,904 |
2006 | 59% | 670,336 | 392,685 |
2001 | 90% | 450,706 | 404,343 |
1996 | 80% | 493,171 | 394,537 |
Regional Scope
Top and Bottom Three Regions
The three regions with the highest voter turnout was Kerewan with 62.63% of their registered votes cast. After Kerewan, Brikama (61.69%) and Mansakonko (59.96%) complete the list of top three regions with the highest voter turnout. On the other hand the region with lowest voter turn out was in Basse which cast only 55.46% of the total registered votes cast. Above Basse, the two regions to complete the lowest three voter turnout list is Kanifing (56.07%) and Banjul (58.85%).
Top and Bottom Three Registered Voters
The top three regions with the most registered voters in descending order is Brikama (281,115), Kanifing (199,957) and Jangjangburreh (116,675). The three regions with the lowest registered voters is Banjul (22,731), Manskonko (49,198) and Kerewan (101,717).
REGION | Voter Turnout | Registered Voters | Actual Votes Cast |
NATIONWIDE | 59.28% | 886,578 | 525,606 |
BANJUL | 58.85% | 22,731 | 13,377 |
2.56% | 2.55% | ||
KANIFING | 56.07% | 199,957 | 112,107 |
22.55% | 21.33% | ||
BRIKAMA | 61.69% | 281,115 | 173,419 |
31.71% | 32.99% | ||
KEREWAN | 62.63% | 101,717 | 63,701 |
11.47% | 12.12% | ||
MANSAKONKO | 59.96% | 49,198 | 29,500 |
5.55% | 5.61% | ||
JANGJANGBUREH | 59.67% | 116,675 | 69,621 |
13.16% | 13.25% | ||
BASSE | 55.46% | 115,185 | 63,881 |
12.99% | 12.15% |
The Banjul example detailed below aims to explain what the numbers mean in the table above.
The total voters turnout in Banjul is a calculated from the total registered voters in Banjul and the total number of actual vote cast. The total number of registered voters in Banjul is 22,731 and that equates to 2.56% of the total registered voters nationally. The total number of actual voters in the 2016 Presidential elections was 13,377 which equates to 2.55% of the total votes cast nationally. In total the voter turnout for Banjul alone was 58.88%.