Persons entitled to vote, 2001

There will be around 42 000 more persons entitled to vote in this autumns Storting election than in the 1997 election, but just over 86 000 fewer voters than in the municipal council and county council elections in 1999. Fewer are entitled to vote in general than local elections, in which foreign citizens may participate provided they have resided in Norway for the last three years prior to Election Day. The increase in the number of persons entitled to vote since the 1997 general election will be the largest in Akershus, with 12 300 persons. The largest reduction in the number of persons entitled to vote will be in Nordland county, where the electorate has shrunk by 3 200 persons compared with the previous Storting election. Half of all persons entitled to vote live in Eastern Norway.

103 000 first-time voters

Nearly 103 000 18 and 19-year-olds will be able to vote for the first time in this years election. Nearly 207 000 18-21 year-olds will be able to cast their debut vote in a general election. This is 2 000 fewer than four years ago. There are also fewer older voters. The percentage of elderly voters aged 67 and up will decline from 630 000 in 1997 to 616 000 this year. Norwegian citizens living abroad are automatically listed in the electoral roll if they have been living in Norway in the course of the last 10 years and otherwise meet voter requirements. This year this group will number 36 000 persons.

More persons with immigrant background entitled to vote

A total of 99 700 Norwegian citizens with an immigrant background will have the right to vote in this years election, which is an increase of 16 000 since the local elections in 1999. These are persons with two foreign-born parents. The majority of these voters are from Pakistan, Vietnam and Iran. Forty-five per cent of voters with an immigrant background are from Asia, 38 per cent have a background from Europe (including Turkey), while just over 10 per cent have a background from Africa. Barely half of voters with a European background come from West European countries.

Thirty-eight per cent of persons with an immigrant background who are entitled to vote live in Oslo, more than half live in Oslo or Akershus. Norwegian citizens with an immigrant background comprise 10 per cent of all persons entitled to vote in Oslo.

Tables:

• Table 1 Storting election 2001. Persons entitled to vote. Estimated April 2001
• Table 2 Storting election 2001. Persons entitled to vote. Estimated april 2001
• Table 3 Storting election 2001. Estimated figures of Norwegian citizens with foreign background entitled to vote, by nationality and county. Estimated April 2001
• Table 4 Storting election 2001. Estimated figures for Norwegian citizens with foreign background, by nationality and selected municipalities. Estimated April 2001