Professor John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University and polling expert, said voters had been left "struggling" after candidates for the police and crime commissioner elections all promised much the same thing.
He said the turnout, which could be the worst in any national election ever, would "raise questions" about the merits of the system, which saw the public voting with their feet by staying away from the polls.
The elections, which have been planned for two and a half years and cost more than £75 million to set up, descended into farce yesterday as voters stayed away in their droves.
Polling stations across the country were left standing empty for hours on end. One, in Newport, is reported to have received no votes at all.
Fears of poor participation in the election of the new commissioners appeared to be confirmed in Wiltshire which declared an overall turnout of 15.8 per cent.
It was even lower in parts of the county, with only 10.41 per cent taking part in Devizes. The area was expected to see a higher-than-average turnout in line with previous elections.
