Namibia: Regional Council Election Results

Turnout Rate vs Unemployment Rate: Khomas Region

The Khomas regional council election results reveal a pattern linking voter engagement to economic conditions.

Higher unemployment rates correlate with lower voter turnout, highlighting a significant civic engagement gap influenced by economic strain.

Constituencies with the highest unemployment levels show the lowest electoral participation.

For example, the Tobias Hainyeko constituency recorded an unemployment rate of 49.3%, with a turnout of only 24.1%, while Moses //Garoëb and Samora Machel had an unemployment rate of 48.4% and a turnout of 26.3%.

Katutura Central and Katutura East show similar patterns, with unemployment rates of 37.7% and 36.1%, and turnouts of 33.6% and 27.1%, respectively.

These results indicate that immediate economic pressures may take precedence over political participation in the most distressed communities.

Conversely, constituencies with lower unemployment rates tend to exhibit higher voter engagement.

Windhoek East, for instance, recorded the region's lowest unemployment rate at 6.6%, while achieving the highest turnout of 33.0%.

This suggests that economic stability supports political efficacy, though even the highest turnout remains relatively low.

Voter participation across the Khomas region is generally low, with most constituencies hovering in the mid-20s and a maximum turnout of 33.6% (Katutura Central).

While engagement is limited throughout the region, the consistent inverse relationship between unemployment and voter turnout highlights the compounding effect of economic hardship on political disengagement in the most affected communities.

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