About 61.48% of voters in Chennai participated in the 2021 assembly elections, while the state average was close to 74%. File | Photo credit: M. Vedhan
Chennai, the state capital, has lagged behind the rest of Tamil Nadu in voter turnout for more than two decades. About 61.48% of the city’s voters participated in the 2021 council elections, while the national average was closer to 74%. A similar gap was visible in 2016 when Chennai recorded 61.37% even as Tamil Nadu crossed 74%.
In 2011, a year of higher participation statewide, the city recorded 67.47%, still some distance from the state average. However, this impulse was not carried over. In subsequent elections, turnout declined and has remained largely unchanged since then, remaining in the 61–62% range. Although more people are added to the lists, roughly the same number of voters turn out to vote.
Published – 12 Apr 2026 23:22 IST
