You’ve probably seen the headlines. Maybe you caught the snippets on your feed or heard a heated debate at the dinner table. But honestly, when the dust finally settled on the 2024 presidential election, the sheer scale of the turnout was something to behold. We aren't just talking about a few million people. We're talking about a massive portion of the American public showing up to decide the path for the next four years.
So, let's get into the weeds. How many votes were cast in the 2024 presidential election?
According to the certified results, the total count landed at 155,240,953 votes. It's a staggering number. While it didn't quite eclipse the all-time record set in 2020, it solidified its place as one of the highest-turnout events in U.S. history. Specifically, the turnout of eligible citizens was roughly 64% to 65%. To put that in perspective, that’s the second or third highest rate since 1900, depending on which metric (Voting Age Population vs. Voting Eligible Population) you use.
The Popular Vote Breakdown: Trump vs. Harris
If you're looking for the "who got what" of it all, the numbers tell a story of a nation deeply engaged but also shifting. Donald Trump didn't just win the Electoral College; he pulled off something a Republican hadn't done since George W. Bush in 2004. He won the national popular vote.
Trump secured 77,303,568 votes, which gave him about 49.8% of the total share. Kamala Harris, on the other hand, brought in 75,019,230 votes, roughly 48.3%.
It was close. Really close. But that 1.5% margin was enough to change the map.
Beyond the two main candidates, the "third party" factor was still there, though maybe not as explosive as some expected. Jill Stein pulled in about 861,164 votes, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—even after suspending his campaign and endorsing Trump—still appeared on many ballots and garnered 756,393 votes. Chase Oliver, the Libertarian candidate, followed with 650,138.
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Why 2024 Was Different from 2020
You might be wondering why the total count was lower than the 158 million we saw in 2020. Honestly, a lot of it comes down to the "pandemic effect." Back in 2020, we had massive pushes for mail-in voting and a unique social climate that drove people to the polls in record-shattering numbers.
In 2024, things normalized a bit.
- Mail-in voting dropped. In 2020, nearly 43% of people voted by mail. In 2024, that number slid down to about 29%.
- In-person voting is king again. About 39.6% of voters showed up on Election Day itself.
- Early in-person surged. This is a big one. More people (30.7%) chose to walk into a polling place before Tuesday than in previous years.
It’s kinda fascinating. We’re seeing a permanent shift in how we vote, even if the "why" remains as contentious as ever.
The Battleground Reality
When you look at the battleground states, the turnout was even more intense. In the "Big Seven" (Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin), the average turnout was roughly 70%. People in these states knew they were the deciders, and they acted like it. Minnesota and Wisconsin actually topped the charts nationally with turnout rates hitting over 76%.
Who Actually Showed Up?
The "who" is just as important as the "how many." Pew Research and the Census Bureau have released some pretty deep dives into the demographics.
The biggest surprise for many analysts was the Hispanic vote. While turnout for Hispanic voters actually declined slightly compared to 2020, the swing was massive. Trump managed to get nearly 48% of the Hispanic vote, a huge jump from his 36% in 2020.
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Then there’s the age gap.
Young voters (18-24) remained the least likely to vote, with less than half of them casting a ballot. Meanwhile, the 65+ crowd was out in full force. Roughly 74.7% of seniors voted. They were the only age group that actually saw a higher turnout rate in 2024 than they did in 2020. Basically, if you want to win an election, you have to talk to the grandparents.
Education and Geography
The "Diploma Divide" became a canyon. Harris won college graduates by about 16 points, but Trump won those without a four-year degree by 14 points.
And the rural-urban split? It’s wider than ever. Trump carried rural areas by a massive 40-point margin (69% to 29%). Harris maintained a strong lead in urban centers, taking about 65% of that vote, but it wasn't enough to offset the red wave in the countryside and the shifting margins in the suburbs.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Count
One thing that drives me crazy is the idea that "millions of voters disappeared." You'll see people on social media comparing the 2020 totals to the 2024 totals and claiming something fishy happened because the numbers are lower.
Here’s the reality: turnout fluctuates.
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In 2020, Biden had a unique coalition of "anti-Trump" voters who weren't necessarily "pro-Democrat." In 2024, some of those people simply stayed home. Data shows that about 15% of Biden’s 2020 voters didn’t show up this time around. Conversely, only about 11% of Trump’s 2020 base sat this one out.
When one side is more motivated to show up, the "total" numbers change. It’s not a conspiracy; it’s just sociology.
Actionable Insights from the 2024 Data
If you’re a political junkie or just someone who wants to understand the landscape, here’s what these 155 million votes actually tell us:
- Check your registration early. The 2024 data shows that states with easier registration (like same-day registration in Minnesota) consistently have higher participation. Don't wait until October 2028.
- Look at the margins. Many of these "landslide" Electoral College wins were decided by just a few percentage points in three or four states. Every individual vote in a swing state truly carries the weight of a thousand.
- Watch the "Nonvoter" stats. Roughly 44% of people who didn't vote said they would have preferred Trump, while 40% would have picked Harris. This suggests that the "silent majority" is no longer a monolith for either party.
Understanding these numbers helps cut through the noise. The 2024 election was a moment of massive participation, even if it didn't break the absolute ceiling of 2020. It showed a country that is changing its voting habits, shifting its loyalties, and—above all—still showing up by the hundred-million.
To get a truly local sense of these numbers, you can head over to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) website or your specific Secretary of State’s portal. They provide the "precinct-level" data that shows exactly how your neighbors voted compared to the national trend. It’s the best way to see how these big-picture 155 million votes actually break down in your own backyard.