Bahawalpur’s voter registration rate stands at 54% of its estimated 2025 population — matching the national ratio of 54%.
Methodology
These figures are drawn from district-wise electoral roll statistics released by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on 30 December 2025. They are cross-referenced against population estimates derived from the 2023 Digital Census. The 2025 population estimate applies the 2.63% inter-censal annual growth rate to Bahawalpur’s census base population of 4,284,964, yielding an estimated 2025 population of 4,513,317. Registration rates are calculated by dividing the number of registered voters by this estimated population.
Voter registration in Bahawalpur
The district has 2.4 million registered voters — 1.3 million males (53.3%) and 1.1 million females (46.7%). Among males, 57% of the estimated population is registered; among females, 51%. Bahawalpur ranks 11th out of 136 districts nationally by population size and is represented by five Members of the National Assembly.
By voter registration rate, Bahawalpur ranks 53rd nationally and 29th of 36 within Punjab.
Registration at the national average
Bahawalpur’s voter registration rate of 54% matches the national ratio of 54%. This indicates that the census enumeration effects working in opposite directions are broadly in balance.
Where out-migrants reduce the census-based denominator — because they are enumerated at their destination — in-migrants from surrounding areas increase it. In Bahawalpur, these two flows offset each other, producing a voter-to-population ratio that tracks the national average.
Female voters constitute 46.7% of the registered electorate, reflecting a moderate gender gap of 6.5%. Closing this gap through targeted ECP outreach in Bahawalpur should be a priority before the next general elections.
This post is part of FAFEN’s series on voter vs population ratio. Read more of this series here.
