Analysis · over time

How elections changed

Karnataka, 1962–2024. 16 general elections tracked.

Turnout

70.89%

↑ 2.12 pts from previous

Median margin

8.25%

↓ 2.85 pts from previous

Effective parties

2.3

↓ 0.28 from previous

NOTA

0.56%

↓ 0.15 pts from previous

Women elected

7.14%

↑ 3.57 pts from previous

[01]Turnout

Weighted votes ÷ electors, election by election

2024 70.89%28 seats

2019 68.77%28 seats

2014 67.17%28 seats

2009 58.81%28 seats

2004 64.99%28 seats

1999 67.58%28 seats

1998 64.92%28 seats

1996 60.22%28 seats

1991 54.81%28 seats

1989 67.53%28 seats

1984 65.67%28 seats

1980 57.71%28 seats

1977 63.2%28 seats

1971 55.44%27 seats

1967 59.95%27 seats

1962 56.54%26 seats

[02]How close the contests were

Median winning margin, election by election

2024 8.25%28 seats

2019 11.1%28 seats

2014 8.45%28 seats

2009 4.35%28 seats

2004 5.2%28 seats

1999 6.35%28 seats

1998 11.45%28 seats

1996 3.9%28 seats

1991 9.2%28 seats

1989 16.9%28 seats

1984 10.95%28 seats

1980 30.25%28 seats

1977 17.85%28 seats

1971 44.97%27 seats

1967 13.72%27 seats

1962 13.36%26 seats

[03]Ballot crowding

Candidates per seat over time

2024 16.9474 candidates

2019 17.1478 candidates

2014 15.5434 candidates

2009 15.3427 candidates

2004 6.1172 candidates

1999 4.6130 candidates

1998 7.1200 candidates

1996 34.9978 candidates

1991 14.0391 candidates

1989 8.6242 candidates

1984 11.9334 candidates

1980 6.8190 candidates

1977 3.598 candidates

1971 3.9104 candidates

1967 3.7100 candidates

1962 3.488 candidates

[04]Party fragmentation

Effective number of parties by vote share

2024 2.33 of 58 won seats

2019 2.64 of 63 won seats

2014 2.73 of 39 won seats

2009 3.03 of 32 won seats

2004 3.33 of 16 won seats

1999 3.23 of 13 won seats

1998 3.84 of 25 won seats

1996 3.64 of 19 won seats

1991 3.43 of 22 won seats

1989 3.02 of 14 won seats

1984 2.52 of 7 won seats

1980 2.52 of 8 won seats

1977 2.12 of 5 won seats

1971 1.91 of 10 won seats

1967 3.25 of 8 won seats

1962 3.12 of 8 won seats

[05]NOTA

None of the above, as a share of votes cast

2024 0.56%2,18,343 votes

2019 0.71%2,50,810 votes

2014 0.83%2,57,873 votes

[06]Deposits lost

Share of candidates polling under a sixth of valid votes

2024 88.19%418 of 474

2019 88.29%422 of 478

2014 85.71%372 of 434

2009 84.78%362 of 427

2004 59.3%102 of 172

1999 53.85%70 of 130

1998 64.5%129 of 200

1996 92.54%905 of 978

1991 81.07%317 of 391

1989 74.79%181 of 242

1984 83.23%278 of 334

1980 65.79%125 of 190

1977 42.86%42 of 98

1971 50.0%52 of 104

1967 38.0%38 of 100

1962 37.5%33 of 88

[07]Women elected

Share of winners who are women

2019 7.14%28 seats

2014 3.57%28 seats

2009 3.57%28 seats

2004 7.14%28 seats

1999 7.14%28 seats

1996 3.57%28 seats

1991 10.71%28 seats

1989 3.57%28 seats

1984 7.14%28 seats

1977 3.57%28 seats

1971 3.7%27 seats

1967 3.7%27 seats

1962 3.85%26 seats

[08]Incumbent re-election rate

Share of sitting members who won again

2019 62.5%15 of 24 re-elected

2014 69.57%16 of 23 re-elected

2009 58.82%10 of 17 re-elected

2004 54.55%12 of 22 re-elected

1999 46.15%12 of 26 re-elected

1998 39.13%9 of 23 re-elected

1996 21.05%4 of 19 re-elected

1991 73.91%17 of 23 re-elected

1989 84.21%16 of 19 re-elected

1984 78.95%15 of 19 re-elected

1980 47.37%9 of 19 re-elected

1977 94.12%16 of 17 re-elected

1971 61.9%13 of 21 re-elected

1967 69.23%9 of 13 re-elected

[09]Computed insights

Arithmetic over the series above, not commentary

Turnout has risen for three elections running: 67.17% (2014) → 68.77% (2019) → 70.89% (2024).
three consecutive rises
Ballots have grown much more crowded: 3.4 candidates a seat in 1962 against 16.9 in 2024.
3.4 → 16.9 over 16 elections
Women's share of elected members peaked at 10.71% in 1991; in 2019 it was 7.14%.
peak 10.71% in 1991
In 2019, 62.5% of sitting members who re-stood were re-elected — above the series average of 61.53%.
62.5 vs avg 61.53 across 14 elections
NOTA peaked at 0.83% in 2014 — 2,57,873 voters chose none of the above.
highest NOTA share across 3 elections
The highest deposit-loss rate was 92.54% in 1996: 905 of 978 candidates polled under a sixth of the valid vote.
peak deposit losses in 1996