Quetta: Quetta's voter registration rate is significantly lower than the national average, with only 34% of its estimated 2025 population registered to vote, according to recent data. This figure is 20 percentage points below the national voter registration ratio of 54%, raising concerns about electoral representation in the region.
According to Free and Fair Election Network, the data is derived from district-wise electoral roll statistics released by the Election Commission of Pakistan on December 30, 2025, and cross-referenced with population estimates from the 2023 Digital Census. The population estimate for Quetta in 2025 is based on a 2.27% annual growth rate applied to the city's 2023 census population of 2,595,492, resulting in a projected population of 2,714,665. The registration rate is determined by dividing the number of registered voters by this estimated population.
The district of Quetta has a total of 914,261 registered voters, comprising 519,533 males and 394,728 females. Male registration stands at 38% of the estimated population, while female registration is at 30%. Quetta ranks 28th out of 136 districts nationally in terms of population size but falls to 123rd in voter registration rates. Within Balochistan, it is ranked 24th out of 34 districts.
The discrepancy between Quetta's voter registration rate and the national average can be attributed to several factors. Census rules count in-migrants residing in Quetta for more than six months, but these individuals often remain registered in their origin districts. This results in an inflated population denominator for Quetta without a corresponding increase in local voter registrations, thereby lowering the voter-to-population ratio.
Additionally, a significant gender gap exists in voter registration. Female voters constitute only 43.2% of the registered electorate in Quetta, which is 124,805 fewer than male voters. Women's registration is notably lower, suggesting genuine non-registration issues that go beyond the in-migration enumeration effect. The data suggests that targeted registration campaigns for women are crucial ahead of the next general elections.