Voters urged to turn out in NT next year

A year out from the next Northern Territory election, eligible voters are already being urged to take part after a large number failed to cast a ballot in 2016.

Of the 135,506 people on the NT electoral roll, only 100,304 voted at the last election.

A further 25,000 Territorians are also thought to be missing from the roll.

Electoral Commissioner Iain Loganathan says elector apathy posed the biggest threat to democracy in the NT.

"The figures are both revealing and concerning," Mr Loganathan said.

"The 2016 territory election was the first time that we had a division that had an elector turnout of less than 50 per cent. That was in the bush electorate of Arnhem."

"And just recently, the two territory electorates of Lingiari and Solomon produced the worst and second-worst turnouts in the country at the May federal election."

Mr Loganathan said low voter participation in remote communities was a particular concern.

"We have conducted surveys and the responses we have received are quite disheartening," he said.

"When asked their views on voting, an overwhelming response we have received is 'Why bother? Nothing changes'."

Territorians will go to the polls on August 22 next year.