Former President Jimmy Carter has revealed he voted for Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Party’s primaries last year.

The 39th US President, who served between 1977 and 1981, made the apparent declaration during an event with Mr Sanders at the Carter Centre in Georgia on Monday night.

The talk was billed as a “conversation about human rights” between the two fellow Democrats and it focused on the current state of US politics, human rights and achieving peace worldwide.

Addressing the audience, the Vermont senator discussed strategies to create a grassroots, bottom-up Democrat party and revitalise American democracy by increasing voter turnout. He noted that the US has one of the lowest voter turnouts of any major country on earth.

Mr Sanders added: “So we have got to get people involved and you do that by being honest about the real problems they face and coming up with real solutions getting people involved".

President Carter then interjected: “Can y'all see why I voted for him?”

Carter’s endorsement of the much-loved, dove-haired Democratic Socialist, which prompted gentle laughter from the audience, appears to have been the first time he has revealed his voting choice in the 2016 Democratic primaries.

After Mr Sanders dropped out of the race and Hillary Clinton became the Democrat presidential candidate, Carter announced he would be voting for Ms Clinton in the election. Although he did note the unpopularity of Ms Clinton and her contender Donald Trump.

Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Show all 15 1 /15 Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. arrives for a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton A woman holds a sign at an event where Bernie Sanders will appear with Hillary Clinton at Portsmouth High School July 12, 2016 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Sanders and Clinton are expected to show unity within the party and a forwarding of their agendas. Darren McCollester/Getty Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Cerys Coffey, 5, of North Hampton, Massachusetts, walks along a line of supporters waiting to get into a campaign event with Democratic U.S. presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S., July 12, 2016. Mary Schwalm/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders stand together during a campaign rally where Sanders endorsed Clinton in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S., July 12, 2016. Brian Snyder/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders greet supporters during a campaign rally where Sanders endorsed Clinton in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S., July 12, 2016. Brian Snyder/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks as Senator Bernie Sanders looks on after he endorsed her during a campaign rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S., July 12, 2016. Brian Snyder/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (R) looks on as Senator Bernie Sanders endorses her during a campaign rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S., July 12, 2016. Brian Snyder/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton looks on as Senator Bernie Sanders endorses her during a campaign rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S., July 12, 2016. Brian Snyder/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., arrives for a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016, where Sanders endorsed Clinton for president. Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. waves as he a Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton arrive for a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton People hold signs outside an event where Bernie Sanders will appear with Hillary Clinton at Portsmouth High School July 12, 2016 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Sanders and Clinton are expected to show unity within the party and a forwarding of their agendas. Darren McCollester/Getty Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Supporters for Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. cheer before a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016, prior to the arrival of Clinton and Sanders. Sanders is poised to offer his long-awaited endorsement of Clinton, hoping to transfer the energy of his supporters into the party's fight against Republican Donald Trump. Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton sing the national anthem in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016, prior to a rally with Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Sanders is poised to offer his long-awaited endorsement of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, hoping to transfer the energy of his supporters into the party's fight against Republican Donald Trump. Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton sing the national anthem in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016, prior to a rally with Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Sanders is poised to offer his long-awaited endorsement of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, hoping to transfer the energy of his supporters into the party's fight against Republican Donald Trump. Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton A woman holds poster for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016, where Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. endorsed her for president. Andrew Harnik/AP

“It's been an exciting and unprecedented kind of campaign this year, and unfortunately, the way it's turned out, both choices in the major parties are quite unpopular,” Carter said at the time. “But I don't have any doubt that one of the candidates is better qualified than the other.”

Early on in the Democratic nomination race, Carter said he saw Hillary Clinton as “inevitably” becoming the chosen candidate because money dominates politics.

“There won't be any problem with Hillary getting the nomination because money dominates and she has an inside track to the massive amounts that are going to pour into the Democratic party side,” he said.

Carter has remained politically active since leaving office and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the Carter Center which seeks to advance human rights and improve human suffering. His peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts since leaving the White House mean he is widely viewed as one of the most successful ex-Presidents in American history.

Mr Sanders also used the event to air his grievances about President Trump, saying dealing with him was very difficult because he “lies all the time".

“People often ask me, ‘What do you think about what the president said yesterday. It’s hard to answer because his view will be different tomorrow, and very often, factually what he says is just not correct.”