Early in 1790, and after this date, the majority forego the privilege of voting and the number of absentees becomes enormous.
At Chartres, in May, 1790,[1209] 1,447 out of 1,551 voters do not attend preliminary meetings.

At Besancon, in January, 1790, on the election of mayor and municipal officers, 2,141 out of 3,200 registered electors are recorded as absent from the polls, and 2,900 in the following month of November.[1210] At Grenoble, in August and November of this year, out of 2,500 registered voters, more than 2,000 are noted as absent.[1211] At Limoges, out of about the same number, there are only 150 voters.

At Paris, out of 81,400 electors, in August, 1790, 67,200 do not vote, and, three months later, the number of absentees is 71,408.[1212] Thus for every elector that votes, there are four, six, eight, ten, and even sixteen that abstain from voting .-- In the election of deputies, the case is the same.

At the primary meetings of 1791, in Paris, out of 81,200 registered names more than 74,000 fail to respond.

In the Doubs, three out of four voters stay away.