Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded a voter turnout of 41.2% in the 2024 Provincial Assembly elections, with 8.47 million votes cast out of 21.93 million registered voters. The province, which has historically seen lower turnout rates compared to the national average, faced challenges related to geography and security that may have impacted voter participation.

According to Free and Fair Election Network, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, previously known as the North-West Frontier Province, has experienced significant growth in its electorate since the merger of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in 2018. The province's electorate primarily comprises Pashtun voters, with notable Hindko-speaking and other linguistic communities. The gender gap in voter registration remains substantial, with 54.5% of registered voters being male and 45.5% female, reflecting barriers to women's civic participation.

In the recent elections, male voters accounted for 5.42 million votes, with a turnout rate of 47.7%, while female voters cast 3.02 million votes, resulting in a 45.4% turnout. The gender turnout gap was 2.3 percentage points. Additionally, 251,939 ballots were rejected, representing 3% of the votes polled, which is consistent with historical rejection rates in the province.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's voter registration has expanded significantly from 3.1 million in 1970 to 21.9 million in 2024, with the number of votes polled increasing from 1.5 million in 1970 to 8.5 million in the current elections. Despite the growth in voter numbers, the province continues to grapple with challenges that affect electoral participation, as evidenced by its fluctuating turnout rates over the years.