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Within Glasgow

Infographic comparing Glasgow population and the size of the electorate to voter turnout and votes for the winning party in the 2024 UK General Election. In the 2024 UK General Election, Labour won all six seats in Glasgow. They recived around 44% of votes cast, and turnout was around 53% of the overall electorate. 

Proportion of the total votes won by political party for Glasgow 1997-2024Percentage of votes won by political parties in Glasgow 2001-2024

Historically, Labour has been the most popular political party in the city of Glasgow. In the 2015 General Election, however, support for the Scottish National Party (SNP) increased dramatically at the expense of all other parties, and the SNP replaced Labour as the party most Glaswegians voted for. During the 2017 and 2024 General Elections, Labour increased its popularity amongst Glaswegian voters to a level that was attained in 2005, and received the highest percentage of votes. The SNP had the second highest percentage of votes amongst Glaswegian voters during the 2017 and 2024 General Elections and were on par with Labour for the percentage of votes during the 2019 General Election. There were also more votes for ‘other parties’ in 2024 than there had been since 2005, with most of these going to the Green Party, or to Reform.

Voter turnout by constituency in UK General Election 2024

Voter turnout by Glasgow constituency 2001-2024The 2023 Review of Parliamentary constituencies resulted the boundary changes to the Glasgow constituencies, reducing the number of constituencies from seven to six. Within the 2024 General Election, Glasgow South had the highest turnout (60.4%). Three of Glasgow’s constituencies – Glasgow South West, Glasgow North and Glasgow East – had a similar turnout ranging between 51.4% to 51.8%, with the lowest turnout being in Glasgow North East (47%). 

Voter turnout by constituency in UK general elections: 2005 - 2019

Socialcap voter general GLA TREND 2020In 2005, boundary changes reduced Glasgow's ten constituencies to seven. There was an increase in voter turnout in all Glasgow constituencies between 2005 and 2015, but the turnout was generally lower in 2017. However, in 2019 turnout increased again across Glasgow, exceeding the 2017 turnout in Glasgow North and Glasgow South. The highest turnout in 2019 was in the Glasgow South constituency (67%).

Voter turnout at local government elections within Glasgow in 2022

Voter turnout in Glasgow council elections 2022In the 2022 local government elections, voter turnout in Glasgow was 38.4%, which was slightly lower than in the previous council elections of 2017. There were notable differences in turnout by ward. In Victoria Park 50% of the electorate voted, 48% in Pollokshields, while in Anderston City and Yorkhill only 28% of the electorate voted.

Voter turnout at Scottish Parliament elections, Glasgow constituencies, 2011, 2016 and 2021

Turnout Glasgow Const SP Elec 2011 2021Voter turnout at Scottish Parliamentary elections has been consistently lower in Glasgow than in Scotland as a whole. However, voter turnout rose across Scotland in 2016 and again in 2021, and in Glasgow turnout has increased in every Glasgow constituency. Voter turnout in every Glasgow constituency was above 50% in 2021, whereas in 2011 turnout in some constituencies was below 40%.  

There has been a greater proportional increase in turnout in Glasgow compared to Scotland, meaning that the gap in voter turnout between Glasgow and Scotland has narrowed.

Notes

The Electoral Commission's report on the 2024 election considered potential reasons for lower turnout across the UK, including issues with postal voting, attitudes towards the political system, and this being the first election for voters in Wales and Scotland where ID was required to vote (this had already been in place in England).

Last updated November 2024.

Further reading under ‘Voting’