The 2024 presidential election saw a remarkable surge in voter turnout, nearly matching the historic levels of the 2020 race. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the high turnout contradicted the belief that Republicans struggle in high-participation elections. Over 153 million ballots were cast in the contest between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris, with additional votes still being counted in slower-reporting states like California. This turnout approached the record-breaking 158 million votes in the 2020 election, the highest since women gained the right to vote.
Political scientist Eitan Hersh noted that Trump's presence in the race significantly boosted voter participation across party lines. Despite Trump's victory in both the Electoral College and popular vote, leading Harris by nearly 2.5 million votes nationwide, the outcome challenged the notion that Democrats benefit more from high-turnout elections.
Trump's warnings in 2020 about potential voter fraud with expanded mail-in balloting led to a wave of new laws in GOP-controlled states, while Democratic-led states expanded mail voting. However, these laws had minimal impact on actual voting but fueled allegations of voter suppression and cheating.
Experts observed that turnout in the crucial swing states exceeded the national average, with significant shifts from the 2020 election. While noncompetitive states experienced decreased turnout, battleground states like Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin saw increased participation, favoring Trump.
Despite Harris matching or surpassing Biden's vote totals in several states, Trump's performance in the battlegrounds outpaced his 2016 results. The GOP's strategy of engaging infrequent voters, promoting early and mail-in voting, and targeting demographics traditionally less inclined to support the party proved successful.
Conservative groups, inspired by figures like Stacey Abrams, mobilized voters who previously felt disenfranchised, contributing to the high turnout. The shift in conservative strategy towards embracing larger voter participation reflects a changing landscape in American politics.
Looking ahead, the impact of this election on future conservative policies and voter engagement remains to be seen. The outcome underscores the evolving dynamics of voter turnout and the strategies employed by political parties to secure electoral success.
