Analysis · over time

How elections changed

Delhi, 1962–2024. 16 general elections tracked.

Turnout

58.8%

↓ 1.78 pts from previous

Median margin

9.2%

↓ 21.0 pts from previous

Effective parties

2.5

↑ 0.09 from previous

NOTA

0.51%

↓ 0.02 pts from previous

Women elected

14.29%

↑ 0.0 pts from previous

[01]Turnout

Weighted votes ÷ electors, election by election

2024 58.8%7 seats

2019 60.58%7 seats

2014 65.07%7 seats

2009 51.85%7 seats

2004 47.08%7 seats

1999 43.54%7 seats

1998 51.29%7 seats

1996 50.62%7 seats

1991 48.52%7 seats

1989 54.3%7 seats

1984 64.48%7 seats

1980 64.89%7 seats

1977 71.31%7 seats

1971 64.37%7 seats

1967 66.55%7 seats

1962 66.46%5 seats

[02]How close the contests were

Median winning margin, election by election

2024 9.2%7 seats

2019 30.2%7 seats

2014 13.9%7 seats

2009 24.5%7 seats

2004 14.4%7 seats

1999 6.0%7 seats

1998 6.9%7 seats

1996 14.3%7 seats

1991 4.9%7 seats

1989 10.4%7 seats

1984 37.1%7 seats

1980 8.0%7 seats

1977 37.1%7 seats

1971 32.63%7 seats

1967 6.25%7 seats

1962 18.59%5 seats

[03]Ballot crowding

Candidates per seat over time

2024 23.0161 candidates

2019 23.4164 candidates

2014 21.4150 candidates

2009 22.9160 candidates

2004 18.4129 candidates

1999 13.997 candidates

1998 18.9132 candidates

1996 74.7523 candidates

1991 71.7502 candidates

1989 33.9237 candidates

1984 27.0189 candidates

1980 24.0168 candidates

1977 5.941 candidates

1971 9.164 candidates

1967 6.646 candidates

1962 5.628 candidates

[04]Party fragmentation

Effective number of parties by vote share

2024 2.51 of 61 won seats

2019 2.51 of 54 won seats

2014 2.91 of 44 won seats

2009 2.21 of 47 won seats

2004 2.12 of 33 won seats

1999 2.31 of 21 won seats

1998 2.32 of 36 won seats

1996 2.62 of 51 won seats

1991 3.02 of 37 won seats

1989 3.43 of 21 won seats

1984 2.01 of 6 won seats

1980 2.52 of 10 won seats

1977 1.81 of 6 won seats

1971 2.01 of 12 won seats

1967 2.62 of 5 won seats

1962 2.71 of 7 won seats

[05]NOTA

None of the above, as a share of votes cast

2024 0.51%45,287 votes

2019 0.53%45,654 votes

2014 0.48%39,690 votes

[06]Deposits lost

Share of candidates polling under a sixth of valid votes

2024 91.3%147 of 161

2019 89.63%147 of 164

2014 88.67%133 of 150

2009 91.25%146 of 160

2004 89.15%115 of 129

1999 84.54%82 of 97

1998 88.64%117 of 132

1996 97.32%509 of 523

1991 96.81%486 of 502

1989 93.67%222 of 237

1984 93.12%176 of 189

1980 91.07%153 of 168

1977 65.85%27 of 41

1971 79.69%51 of 64

1967 69.57%32 of 46

1962 60.71%17 of 28

[07]Women elected

Share of winners who are women

2019 14.29%7 seats

2014 14.29%7 seats

2009 14.29%7 seats

2004 14.29%7 seats

1999 14.29%7 seats

1998 28.57%7 seats

1996 28.57%7 seats

1984 14.29%7 seats

1971 28.57%7 seats

[08]Incumbent re-election rate

Share of sitting members who won again

2019 100.0%5 of 5 re-elected

2014 0.0%0 of 7 re-elected

2009 100.0%4 of 4 re-elected

2004 16.67%1 of 6 re-elected

1999 80.0%4 of 5 re-elected

1998 85.71%6 of 7 re-elected

1996 25.0%1 of 4 re-elected

1991 42.86%3 of 7 re-elected

1989 50.0%2 of 4 re-elected

1984 100.0%2 of 2 re-elected

1980 14.29%1 of 7 re-elected

1977 14.29%1 of 7 re-elected

1971 16.67%1 of 6 re-elected

1967 33.33%1 of 3 re-elected

[09]Computed insights

Arithmetic over the series above, not commentary

Turnout has fallen for three elections running: 65.07% (2014) → 60.58% (2019) → 58.8% (2024).
three consecutive falls
Ballots have grown much more crowded: 5.6 candidates a seat in 1962 against 23.0 in 2024.
5.6 → 23.0 over 16 elections
Women's share of elected members peaked at 28.57% in 1998; in 2019 it was 14.29%.
peak 28.57% in 1998
In 2019, 100.0% of sitting members who re-stood were re-elected — above the series average of 48.49%.
100.0 vs avg 48.49 across 14 elections
NOTA peaked at 0.53% in 2019 — 45,654 voters chose none of the above.
highest NOTA share across 3 elections
The highest deposit-loss rate was 97.32% in 1996: 509 of 523 candidates polled under a sixth of the valid vote.
peak deposit losses in 1996