Voter turnout in United States presidential elections

Voter turnout in US elections is measured as a percentage, calculated by dividing the total number of votes cast by the voting age population (VAP), or more recently, the voting eligible population (VEP). Voter turnout has varied over time, between states, and between demographic groups. In the United States, turnout is higher for presidential elections than for midterm elections.^[1] US turnout is generally lower than that in other advanced democracies.^[2]

The historical trends in voter turnout in the United States presidential elections have been shaped by:

the gradual expansion of voting rights from the initial restriction to white male property owners aged 21 or older in the early years of the country's independence to all citizens aged 18 or older in the mid-20th century.^[3]
policies that have made it easier or harder for eligible people to register and vote
the competitiveness of elections
the mobilization efforts of parties, candidates and other organizations^[4]

Approximately 240 million people were eligible to vote in the 2020 presidential election and roughly 66.1% of them submitted ballots, totaling 158,427,986 votes. Joseph Biden received 81,283,501 votes, Donald Trump 74,223,975 votes, and other candidates (including Jo Jorgensen and Howie Hawkins) a combined total of 2,920,510 vote. Roughly 81 million eligible voters did not cast a ballot.^[5]

^ New York Times Editorial Board (November 11, 2014). "Opinion | The Worst Voter Turnout in 72 Years". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
^ DeSilver, Drew (November 1, 2022). "Turnout in U.S. has soared in recent elections but by some measures still trails that of many other countries". Pew Research Center. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
^ Keyssar, Alexander (2009). The Right to Vote: the Contested History of Democracy in the United States (Revised ed.). New York: Basic Books. ISBN 978-0465005024.
^ Rosenstone, Steven; Hansen, John Mark (1993). Mobilization, Participation and Democracy in America. New York: Macmillan.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
^ https://www.fec.gov/documents/4227/federalelections2020.pdf

[1] New York Times Editorial Board (November 11, 2014). "Opinion | The Worst Voter Turnout in 72 Years". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 29, 2018.

[:02-2] DeSilver, Drew (November 1, 2022). "Turnout in U.S. has soared in recent elections but by some measures still trails that of many other countries". Pew Research Center. Retrieved June 3, 2024.

[3] Keyssar, Alexander (2009). The Right to Vote: the Contested History of Democracy in the United States (Revised ed.). New York: Basic Books. ISBN 978-0465005024.

[4] Rosenstone, Steven; Hansen, John Mark (1993). Mobilization, Participation and Democracy in America. New York: Macmillan.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)

[5] ttps://www.fec.gov/documents/4227/federalelections2020.pdf

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