Honestly, the 2020 election was weird. We all remember the masks, the social distancing stickers on the floor, and those endless lines that seemed to wrap around city blocks twice over. But if you look at the actual data, the "day of" experience was only a tiny slice of the pie.
When you ask how many people voted on election day 2020, you're looking at a number that actually dropped significantly compared to 2016. It sounds counterintuitive because the total turnout was massive—the highest in over a century—but the timing of those votes shifted in a way we’ve never seen before.
Roughly 158.4 million people cast a ballot in total. That’s a staggering amount of people. However, only about 28% to 30% of those voters actually showed up in person on November 3rd.
The Big Shift: Why Election Day Felt Different
In a normal year, Election Day is the main event. In 2016, for instance, about 60% of voters waited until Tuesday to cast their ballot. Fast forward to 2020, and the pandemic basically flipped the script.
Because of COVID-19, states scrambled to expand mail-in and early voting options. People were nervous about crowded polling places. So, they stayed home or went early.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, approximately 43% of voters used a mail-in ballot. Another 26% chose to vote in person but did it before the actual election day. That left only about 45 to 50 million people who actually walked into a booth on the official Tuesday.
It’s kind of wild when you think about it.
🔗 Read more: When is the Next Hurricane Coming 2024: What Most People Get Wrong
Breaking Down the Methods
The way we voted wasn't uniform across the country. It varied a lot based on where you lived and, honestly, who you were voting for.
- Mail-in Voting: This was the king of 2020. About 43% of the electorate (roughly 66-68 million people) sent their ballots through the mail.
- Early In-Person: About 36 million people decided to show up early. They wanted the "sticker" experience without the Election Day crowds.
- Election Day In-Person: This group shrunk to roughly 30% of the total, a massive decline from the 60% we saw just four years prior.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 2020 Turnout
There’s a common misconception that because the lines were long on Tuesday, that’s when most of the voting happened.
Actually, the lines were often long because of social distancing requirements and a shortage of poll workers, not necessarily because of a record number of "day-of" voters. In fact, if you lived in a state like Oregon or Washington, "Election Day" is almost a misnomer because they’ve been doing mail-in for years.
But in 2020, even traditional "Tuesday states" saw a surge in the "nontraditional" methods. For example, in New Jersey, nontraditional voting jumped from about 8% in 2016 to over 92% in 2020. That is a gargantuan shift.
Who Actually Showed Up on Tuesday?
The demographics of how many people voted on election day 2020 also tell a story. There was a clear partisan and age-related split.
Data from the Pew Research Center and Gallup showed that Republican voters were much more likely to wait until Election Day to vote in person. About 46% of Republicans or Republican-leaning independents planned to vote on the actual day, compared to only about 33% of Democrats.
💡 You might also like: What Really Happened With Trump Revoking Mayorkas Secret Service Protection
Younger voters (ages 18-24) also had a relatively high rate of showing up on Tuesday compared to seniors. Seniors, who were at higher risk for COVID-19, flocked to mail-in ballots at the highest rate of any age group—about 77.7% of voters over 65 used a nontraditional method.
Turnout by the Numbers
| Group | Election Day In-Person | Early / Mail-In |
|---|---|---|
| Total Voters | ~30% | ~70% |
| Democrats | ~18-20% | ~80% |
| Republicans | ~40-45% | ~55-60% |
| Seniors (65+) | ~22% | ~78% |
Note: These are estimates based on Census and MIT Election Lab data aggregations.
The Impact on Results and "The Red Mirage"
This split between when people voted led to what analysts called the "Red Mirage" and the "Blue Shift."
Since many states count in-person Election Day votes first, it initially looked like certain candidates had a massive lead. But as the mail-in ballots—which were heavily Democratic—were processed over the following days, the numbers shifted.
This isn't just trivia. It’s the reason why we didn't know the winner on Tuesday night. When you have nearly 100 million people voting before the sun even rises on Election Day, the logistics of counting change everything.
What This Means for Future Elections
The 2020 election wasn't just a one-off fluke. It changed how Americans think about the "First Tuesday in November."
📖 Related: Franklin D Roosevelt Civil Rights Record: Why It Is Way More Complicated Than You Think
While the 2024 numbers showed a slight return to in-person voting, the "permanent" expansion of early voting and mail-in options in many states means that the massive Election Day crowds of the early 2000s might be a thing of the past. People like the convenience.
Even though the pandemic ended, the habits stuck.
Actionable Insights for Voters
If you're looking at these stats to plan your next trip to the polls, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Check Your State's "Permanent" Changes: Many states that expanded mail-in voting in 2020 kept those laws. Check Vote.org to see if you can still request a no-excuse absentee ballot.
- Early is Often Easier: If you want the in-person experience without the two-hour wait, the data shows that "Early In-Person" is the sweet spot. It's grown in popularity every cycle since 2018.
- The Deadlines Matter: The reason 2020 worked was because people requested their ballots early. If you wait until the week before, you're stressing out the postal system and the poll workers.
The 2020 election proved that the American electorate is more resilient—and more flexible—than we thought. Even in a crisis, 158 million people found a way to make their voices heard. Whether it was at a kitchen table or a high school gym, the "how" mattered less than the "why."
To prepare for upcoming cycles, make sure your registration is current. Most states allow you to check this online in under two minutes. It's the simplest way to ensure you're part of the next record-breaking turnout, whenever you choose to cast that ballot.