Einar H. Dyvik
Research expert covering Nordics and global data for society, economy, and politics
2024 U.S. Presidential Election - statistics & facts
With over 60 national elections set to take place, 2024 has been a defining year for global politics. Among the more highly anticipated national elections was the United States presidential election on November 5th. While originally on track to be a relatively unremarkable campaign season due to the predictability of the primary elections, events that followed disrupted this expectation, resulting in a far more consequential and closely contested race than initially anticipated between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
Throughout the election cycle, polls in swing states Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin showed an extremely tight race, with many experts considering it too close to call. Due to the close nature of the race, people were not expecting to see results until days after the election. However, in the early hours of Wednesday, November 6, Donald Trump received the minimum requirement of electoral votes to secure the presidency once again. Additionally, results showed Trump winning the popular vote across the country, marking the first time a Republican candidate has won the majority of votes since 2004.
The Republican National Convention saw the official confirmation of Donald Trump as Republican presidential nominee and J.D. Vance as his running mate. Throughout his campaign, Trump was the target of two assassination attempts, marking the first presidential assassination attempt in the U.S. since Ronald Reagan in 1981. Since his presidency, Trump faced numerous legal challenges, including questions about his election eligibility, two House impeachments, and nearly 100 criminal charges related to election interference, attempting to overturn the 2020 election results, and falsifying records. On May 30, 2024, he was convicted on 34 felony counts for falsifying business records linked to a 2016 sex scandal. Despite being the first U.S. president to be a convicted felon, he remained eligible for reelection and maintained strong Republican support, with many viewing the charges as politically motivated.
Other significant economic indicators among voters have been taxes and government spending. While Republicans would prefer to see government spending on programs like Social Security or Medicare reduced, those in the Democratic Party are more likely to advocate raising taxes on the richest individuals to compensate for the deficit. Despite the tendency of both parties to blame each other for financial issues affecting the nation, a significant amount of debt has been accrued under presidents of both parties.
While Trump voters were more concerned with economic issues, abortion remained particularly charged among Harris voters. The 2022 Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, granting states the power to completely ban abortion, was a mobilizing force for voters, and remained a determining issue for many up to Election Day. Other important issues among voters included climate change, healthcare access, LGBTQ rights, gun rights, and immigration. Immigration, a longstanding national debate, has seen growing support for restrictive policies among Republicans and for more open policies among Democrats. This increasing polarization has stalled meaningful reform, fueling dissatisfaction across the political spectrum.
Throughout the weeks leading up to the presidential election, early voting began in almost all states, with over 80 million ballots being cast nationally as of Election Day. On November 5, almost nine million mail-in and early in-person votes had been cast in the state of Texas, roughly eight percent of the total early votes nationally. Although former President Trump expressed distrust of early voting, only a slightly smaller share of early votes were cast by Republicans than by Democrats.
As one of the Trump campaign's most targeted demographics, it did not come as a surprise that Trump received significantly more support from young male voters on election day than in 2020. Additionally, Trump made significant gains among Latino voters, reflecting what many have considered a seismic shift in loyalty across historically Democrat-leaning communities.
Throughout the election cycle, polls in swing states Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin showed an extremely tight race, with many experts considering it too close to call. Due to the close nature of the race, people were not expecting to see results until days after the election. However, in the early hours of Wednesday, November 6, Donald Trump received the minimum requirement of electoral votes to secure the presidency once again. Additionally, results showed Trump winning the popular vote across the country, marking the first time a Republican candidate has won the majority of votes since 2004.
The rematch that never was
Forced to come to terms with his slim chances at winning in November, President Biden announced on July 21 that he would end his bid for reelection. With just over three months until Election Day, Biden’s decision not to run for a second term turned what would have been a rematch between the two 2020 candidates into an uncertain race, leading many Democrats– including Biden himself– to show support for Vice President Kamala Harris’s candidacy. She was officially named the Democratic nominee at the Democratic Convention on August 19 through 22. In early August, Harris announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate for the election in November.The Republican National Convention saw the official confirmation of Donald Trump as Republican presidential nominee and J.D. Vance as his running mate. Throughout his campaign, Trump was the target of two assassination attempts, marking the first presidential assassination attempt in the U.S. since Ronald Reagan in 1981. Since his presidency, Trump faced numerous legal challenges, including questions about his election eligibility, two House impeachments, and nearly 100 criminal charges related to election interference, attempting to overturn the 2020 election results, and falsifying records. On May 30, 2024, he was convicted on 34 felony counts for falsifying business records linked to a 2016 sex scandal. Despite being the first U.S. president to be a convicted felon, he remained eligible for reelection and maintained strong Republican support, with many viewing the charges as politically motivated.
What issues were most important to voters?
Economic issues, especially job creation, are central in U.S. politics, with presidential success often linked to employment growth. Policies on tax reform, deregulation, and infrastructure investment are crucial because they shape job markets, business climates, and inflation. While the economy has been strengthening, many Americans have not felt this in their daily lives, with inflation impacting the cost of living across the country. According to exit polls in key states, almost 90 percent of voters who considered the economy their most important issue voted for Donald Trump.Other significant economic indicators among voters have been taxes and government spending. While Republicans would prefer to see government spending on programs like Social Security or Medicare reduced, those in the Democratic Party are more likely to advocate raising taxes on the richest individuals to compensate for the deficit. Despite the tendency of both parties to blame each other for financial issues affecting the nation, a significant amount of debt has been accrued under presidents of both parties.
While Trump voters were more concerned with economic issues, abortion remained particularly charged among Harris voters. The 2022 Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, granting states the power to completely ban abortion, was a mobilizing force for voters, and remained a determining issue for many up to Election Day. Other important issues among voters included climate change, healthcare access, LGBTQ rights, gun rights, and immigration. Immigration, a longstanding national debate, has seen growing support for restrictive policies among Republicans and for more open policies among Democrats. This increasing polarization has stalled meaningful reform, fueling dissatisfaction across the political spectrum.
Early turnout and exit polls
As of early October 2024, only around one-third of polled Americans were extremely enthusiastic about voting for president in the election. This widespread lack of enthusiasm surrounding the two major presidential nominees led to increased interest in alternative options. Over half of Generation Z and Millennials now identify as independent, indicating a shift in political alignment among younger voters. Moreover, more than 40 percent of these younger voters considered casting their ballots for an independent candidate in the election, suggesting a broader trend of disillusionment with the current political system, and likely explanation for the lagging registration among young eligible voters across the country compared to 2020.Throughout the weeks leading up to the presidential election, early voting began in almost all states, with over 80 million ballots being cast nationally as of Election Day. On November 5, almost nine million mail-in and early in-person votes had been cast in the state of Texas, roughly eight percent of the total early votes nationally. Although former President Trump expressed distrust of early voting, only a slightly smaller share of early votes were cast by Republicans than by Democrats.
As one of the Trump campaign's most targeted demographics, it did not come as a surprise that Trump received significantly more support from young male voters on election day than in 2020. Additionally, Trump made significant gains among Latino voters, reflecting what many have considered a seismic shift in loyalty across historically Democrat-leaning communities.
