In the 2019 local election 681 000 people with immigrant background were entitled to vote. In this report we look at voter turnout and voter behaviour among people with immigrant backgrounds compared to voters without an immigrant background in the local elections in 2015.
16 percent of the electorate had immigrant background
Sixteen per cent of eligible voters in 2019 had an immigrant background. 388 000 persons where foreign citizens entitled to vote, 245 000 where immigrants who have become Norwegian citizens and 48 000 where Norwegian-born to immigrant parents. Most persons entitled to vote with an immigrant background lives in Oslo, here the proportion of voters is close to 30 percent. Among the foreign citizens, people with background from the Nordic countries, Western-Europe and East-European EU/EEA countries are the largest groups. Among immigrants who have become Norwegian citizens Iraq, Somalia, Pakistan, Iran and Vietnam are the largest countries. For Norwegian-born to immigrant parents, single countries like Pakistan, Vietnam, Turkey, Sri Lanka and Somalia is the largest groups.
Constantly low turnout
The total voter turnout at the last local elections was 65 per cent. The figure for immigrants is considerably lower than for non-immigrants. This has been the trend ever since Statistics Norway began examining this area in 1983. In the last election, voter turnout for non-immigrants was 70 per cent. Among naturalised immigrants, the figure was 45 per cent, and foreign nationals had a turnout of 32 per cent
Immigrants with background from Africa, Asia and Latin-America vote for the Labour Party
Nearly 5 out of 10 immigrants with background from Africa, Asia and Latin-America, vote for Labour. Among immigrants with background from Europa the support for Labour is considerably lower. Among foreign citizens from EU/EEA countries in eastern Europe the support for the Progress Party is slightly higher than in the electorate as a whole. The Green Party is strong among immigrants with background from western Europa and the Nordic countries.
3 percent of the representatives has an immigrant background
There are 281 persons with immigrant background in Norwegian municipal councils after the local elections in 2019. This comprised around 3 per cent of all municipal members and is an increase of 0,3 compared the 2015 elections.