Voter Turnout by Country 2026

Voting for elected officials is a freedom afforded to the citizens of many (but not all) countries around the world. The right to vote is particularly likely in democratic countries and republics. However, not every person eligible to vote does. The reasons for this phenomenon vary: some potential voters have no interest in politics or feel their vote doesn’t matter, some dislike the available candidates, and others lack certain material requirements—for example, a government-issue I.D. is required in more than half of U.S. states.

Voter Turnout by Country

Based on data from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), Rwanda has displayed the highest voter turnout in a recent national election. Several additional African or Asian countries also show strikingly high voter turnout, including Laos, Turkmenistan, Singapore, Vietnam, and Nauru.

It is worthwhile to note that high voter turnout does not always indicate a healthy election, especially in fourth world or global south countries. For example, watchdog group Freedom House gives Rwanda a score of 4 points out of a possible 28 in the categories of the electoral process and political participation, stating that Rwandan elections are “marred by numerous irregularities,” which included forcing citizens to view propaganda, preventing certain candidates from running, unfair registration practices, and stuffing ballot boxes. Similarly, Laos (which earns 0 of 28 points) is ruled by a single political party that chooses which candidates will appear on the ballot. As such, it is fair to question even the official turnout numbers.

That said, high voter turnout can be achieved in free and fair elections as well. For example, the island nations of Antigua and Barbuda (26 of 28) and Nauru (26 of 28) have both obtained turnout percentages over 90%.

Recent Trends in Voter Turnout

Globally, voter turnout has decreased over time in recent decades, with most countries posting lower voter turnout in recent elections than in those which took place 20-30 years ago. Election experts have identified multiple causes for this trend. Voter apathy is one—young voters in particular are more likely to be unaware of the voting process or disenchanted with what they see as a corrupt and dysfunctional system. Another influential cause is voter suppression, especially in countries classified by the Democracy Index as flawed democracies or authoritarian regimes.

On a more positive note, election experts also point out that lower turnout can also be a positive sign that the right to vote is being extended to more and more people. Throughout history, voting was often confined to rich, usually white males who could easily take time off work to vote. However, voting is now more likely to be available to women, blue-collar workers, and minorities who were often previously denied voting rights and who may not be able to rearrange their lives in order to vote on a specific day or time. This reality is one of the main reasons that many states and countries are working to expand voting access by offering mail-in ballots, longer voting hours, and other voting aids.

Voter Turnout in the United States

In the 2020 U.S. presidential election, an estimated 158 million Americans turned out to vote. About 70.75% of eligible voters voted in the 2020 election, the highest turnout since 1900. The 2020 election saw about 20 million more votes than the 137 million in the 2016 election. Only about 55.72% of eligible voters voted in the 2016 election. In the 2020 election, U.S. voter turnout lagged behind that of several developed nations around the world.

In the 2024 U.S. presidential election, 154 million Americans voted, representing 65.3% of the citizen voting-age population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. While this marked a decline from the 70.75% turnout in 2020, it remained well above the 55.7% turnout in 2016. Voter registration also rose to 73.6% of eligible citizens in 2024, up from 69.6% in 2020. Compared to earlier decades, recent elections have seen notably higher participation, yet the U.S. still lags behind many developed nations, where voter turnout commonly exceeds 70% of eligible voters.

When Voting Doesn’t Matter: The Corruption of National Elections

The fact that a country or state holds public elections is not a guarantee that the elections are free or fair. Election scandals both large and small are quite common in most countries, from accusations of ballot box stuffing or improper counting procedures to unreasonable voting requirements. Authoritarian regimes have access to more sinister tactics, such as outlawing all other political parties or candidates and fully controlling every aspect of the voting process. Even in elections that are otherwise fair, the gerrymandering of voting districts can give one party an unnatural advantage and deliver a result contrary to the will of the people as a whole.