Persons entitled to vote, 2009

In total, the number of people entitled to vote in this year’s election has increased by 3 percentage points since the last Storting election in 2005. Compared to the Storting election four years ago, Oslo county has seen the highest growth in the total number of people entitled to vote, with an increasment by 22 500 electors. On the other hand, the total number of people entitled to vote in Sogn- and Fjordane county has decreased by 600 electors.

More young and a stable part elderly electors

245 600 people are entitled to vote for the first time in a general election in total. Among these, 125 500 people belong to the age group 18-19 years. Compared to the Storting election in 2005, 32 400 more people aged 18-21 is entitled to vote for the first time in this election. Highest portion of people entitled to vote for the first time in a general election, compared to total number of people entitled to vote, is resident in Rogaland, Vest-Agder and Sogn- and Fjordane counties. Here the portion is 8 percent. Lowest portion is resident in Oslo (5 percent), Hedmark and Oppland (6 percent).

The number of electors aged 67 years+ is 628 000 - compared to 611 600 in the Storting election in 2005. In comparison to the total number of electors, the part elderly electors maintains stable from the Storting election in 2005. The largest group of elderly electors, compared to total number of electors, is resident in Hedmark, Oppland and Sogn- and Fjordane counties (22 and 21 percent). Lowest number of elderly electors, compared to total number of electors, is resident in Oslo (14 percent), Rogaland and Østfold (16 percent).

41 600 Norwegian citizens are resident in foreign countries. They are entitled to vote as long as they have been resident in Norway during the last decade, and fulfil general terms for suffrage.

More Norwegian citizens with immigrant background entitled to vote

164 100 Norwegian citizens with immigrant background are entitled to vote in the Storting election this year, an increase of 40 400 people compared to the Storting election in 2005. As a portion of the total number people entitled to vote in this election, the percentage has increased from 3.6 percent in 2005 to 4.7 percent in 2009.

As a portion, the group of Norwegian citizens with immigrant background from Asia, South- and Central America, and Turkey, still grows considerably. This group now constitutes 69.5 percent of Norwegian citizens with immigrant background, an increase of 4.5 percent points since last election.

People with background from Pakistan (16 850), Vietnam (12 840), Iran (9 280) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (9 010), constitute - as they did in the Storting election in 2005- the largest groups among Norwegian citizens with immigrant background entitled to vote. The largest growth is in the group of electors with background from Irak and Somalia, which both constitutes 5.2 percent of the total number electors among Norwegian citizens with immigrant background.¹

As a portion of the total number of electors, we find that the largest group of Norwegian citizens with immigrant background is resident in Oslo and Akershus counties. Here this group constitutes 15 and 6 percent of the total number electors. We find that the smallest group is resident in Nord-Trøndelag and Nordland counties. Here this group constitutes one percent of the total number of electors.

¹Corrected 02.04.2009 at 10:27 a.m.

Tables:

• Table 1 Storting Election 2009. Persons entitled to vote. Estimated March 2009
• Table 2 Storting Election 2009. Norwegian citizens with immigrant background 2003-2009, entitled to wote. Estimated figures
• Table 3 Storting Election 2009. Norwegian citizens with immigrant background, entitled to vote. County. Estimated Mars 2009
• Table 4 Storting Election 2009. Norwegian citizens with immigrant background, entitled to vote. Selected municipalities. Estimated Mars 2009