How Many People Voted for Trump in 2024? Unpacking the Election Results

The 2024 US Presidential Election concluded with Donald Trump securing the presidency, marking a significant moment in American political history. As the Electoral College electors convened and cast their votes, confirming Trump’s victory, attention naturally turns to the numbers behind this outcome. Specifically, understanding how many people voted for Donald Trump in 2024 is crucial for grasping the election’s dynamics and the broader political landscape. This article delves into the popular vote and Electoral College results, providing a comprehensive overview of voter turnout and key election statistics, focusing on the question: how many votes did Donald Trump receive in the 2024 election?

Donald Trump’s Electoral College Victory in 2024

The Electoral College vote solidified Donald Trump’s win, with him garnering 312 electoral votes. Kamala Harris received 226 electoral votes. Notably, unlike the 2016 election, the 2024 Electoral College process was without any “faithless electors,” ensuring all votes were cast as pledged. Trump’s 312 electoral votes represent an increase of eight compared to his 2016 performance, highlighting a strengthened position in the Electoral College map.

A map illustrating the distribution of Electoral College votes in the 2024 US Presidential Election, showcasing Donald Trump’s victory.

Trump’s path to victory included flipping six states that had voted for the Democratic candidate in 2020. These key states were Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The rest of the states maintained their 2020 voting patterns, underscoring the significance of these swing states in determining the election outcome.

The Popular Vote Breakdown: Trump’s Numbers and Overall Turnout

In terms of the popular vote, Donald Trump received an impressive 77,284,118 votes. This figure translates to 49.8 percent of the total votes cast for president. This number is not only substantial but also ranks as the second-highest popular vote total in US presidential election history. It is surpassed only by Joe Biden’s record-breaking 81,284,666 votes in 2020.

A comparative chart illustrating the popular vote counts for Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in the 2024 US Presidential Election, highlighting voter distribution.

Examining Trump’s popular vote further, he gained 3,059,799 more votes in 2024 compared to 2020 and a significant 14,299,293 more than in 2016. These increases are noteworthy, and they have propelled Donald Trump to hold the record for the most cumulative popular votes received by any presidential candidate in US history, surpassing Barack Obama’s previous record. This achievement is partly attributed to his running for the White House for a third time, demonstrating sustained voter engagement.

Kamala Harris, on the other hand, garnered 74,999,166 popular votes, representing 48.3 percent of the total. While substantial, Harris’s popular vote count was 6,285,500 fewer than Biden’s in 2020. However, it still exceeded Trump’s 2020 popular vote by 774,847.

The 2024 election witnessed a high voter turnout, with more than 155 million Americans casting their ballots. The exact figure stands at 156,302,318, marking the second-highest total voter turnout in US history in absolute numbers. It is only the second time that over 140 million people have participated in a presidential election, reflecting a continued high level of civic engagement.

In relative terms, the national voter turnout rate in 2024 was 63.9 percent. Although lower than the 66.6 percent recorded in 2020 (which was the highest since 1900), the 2024 turnout remained high by modern standards. Historically, only the 1960 election between Kennedy and Nixon (63.8 percent) has exceeded 63 percent turnout in the last 112 years, prior to 2020 and 2024.

Wisconsin stood out with the highest voter turnout among states in 2024, reaching 76.93 percent of eligible voters. Interestingly, five of the six battleground states that flipped to Trump saw voter turnout exceeding the national average, with only Arizona slightly below. Hawaii recorded the lowest turnout, with just 50 percent of its eligible voters participating.

Was the 2024 Election a Landslide Victory for Trump?

Despite early commentary suggesting a landslide victory for Trump, a closer examination of both Electoral College and popular vote numbers indicates a more nuanced picture. Trump’s 312 Electoral College votes, while a victory, are not exceptionally high compared to historical landslides. For instance, they are just six more than Biden’s 2020 count, twenty less than Obama’s 2012 victory, and significantly fewer than historical landslides like Roosevelt in 1936 (523), Johnson in 1964 (486), Nixon in 1972 (520), or Reagan in 1984 (525).

In terms of the popular vote, more people voted against Trump than for him in 2024. His margin of victory over Harris was 1.5 percentage points. This margin is actually the fifth smallest in the thirty-two presidential elections held since 1900, further suggesting that it was not a landslide in terms of popular support.

Analyzing the popular vote margin in the 2024 election, placing it in historical context and comparing it to past presidential races.

The election’s closeness is underscored by the fact that a relatively small shift in votes could have altered the outcome. Had Harris gained an additional 229,726 votes in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, she would have won the presidency. This highlights the razor-thin margins in key states that ultimately determined the election’s result.

The 2024 election marks the tenth consecutive presidential election where the popular vote margin was in single digits, a record streak. This trend emphasizes the increasing polarization and close divides within the American electorate.

Early and Mail-in Voting Trends in 2024

Early and mail-in voting continued to be popular in the 2024 election. A significant 88,380,679 votes were cast early or via mail. Of these, 52 percent were cast in person, while 48 percent were mail-in ballots.

Data on party affiliation for early and mail-in voting reveals that 41 percent came from registered Democrats, 38 percent from registered Republicans, and 21 percent from voters registered with other parties or no party affiliation. This data suggests the continued importance of early and mail-in voting as a significant component of election administration and voter participation.

Congressional Composition Following the 2024 Election

The 2024 election also determined the composition of the US Congress. Republicans secured control of both the House and Senate. However, their majorities in both chambers are narrow, especially in the House.

Republicans won 220 House seats compared to 215 for the Democrats. This majority is slightly smaller than their 2022 midterm gains. With some Republican representatives expected to resign, their House majority could become even more tenuous in the near term, potentially impacting their legislative agenda.

In the Senate, Republicans gained control with 53 seats, a pick-up of four seats. While this marks a return to Senate control for the Republicans, they remain short of the 60 seats needed for a filibuster-proof majority.

Representation of Women and Minorities in the 119th Congress

The 119th Congress will see 150 women serving, representing 27.8 percent of the total members. However, this is a slight decrease from the current Congress. Notably, for the first time since the 109th Congress, no woman will chair a House committee.

Women of color will account for 59 members in the 119th Congress, a slight decrease from the record 61 in the current Congress. For the first time in US history, the Senate will have two Black women senators serving simultaneously.

People of color will comprise approximately 27 percent of the new Congress, with increases in African American and Asian American representation but a slight decrease in Hispanic American and Native American representation.

Conclusion: Understanding Trump’s 2024 Vote and the Broader Political Landscape

In summary, Donald Trump received 77,284,118 popular votes in the 2024 US Presidential Election and secured 312 electoral votes to win the presidency. While his popular vote count is substantial and ranks as the second-highest in US history, the election was not a landslide victory. The popular vote margin was narrow, and a small shift in votes in key states could have changed the outcome.

The 2024 election underscores the continued political divisions within the United States and the enduring importance of understanding voter turnout, demographic trends, and the nuances of both popular and electoral vote dynamics. As the nation moves forward, analyzing these election results, including the specific number of people who voted for Donald Trump, remains critical for navigating the evolving political landscape.

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