The prospective Thames Valley police and crime commissioner will be elected with only 13.3% of the public having voted at the polls.
The low turnout is likely to raise questions over whether the leader will have any legitimacy in the role.
Only 13.9% of people voted in the Aylesbury Vale with the highest percentage in the Thames Valley at West Berkshire where 15.7% turned out and the lowest at Slough and Oxford City (10.9%).
It is believed the national average will be well below 20% with the elections costing more than £75 million and taking two years to set up.
The public took to social media to express their dismay at the elections. Sarah Fraser said on Twitter: “On the basis not one candidate provided info about themselves/ideas to me, I felt not able to vote sensibly. So no vote.”