Where did Democratic voters go?

Voter turnout dropped sharply for Democrats in 2024

Illustration of the shadow of a Democratic donkey kicking over a voting booth
More self-identified independents went to the polls than Democrats, said Reuters
(Image credit: Illustration by Stephen Kelly / Getty Images)

One reason Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election: Democratic voters simply didn't go to the polls.

Voters in traditional "liberal strongholds" failed to show up for Vice President Kamala Harris, said The New York Times. Those strongholds — cities and suburbs, along with traditionally blue states like New Jersey — gave Harris nearly 2 million fewer votes than Joe Biden won four years earlier, while Republican-dominated areas gave Donald Trump an additional 1.2 million votes over 2020. Turnout was also down among traditional Democratic constituencies like Black Christians and Jewish voters. "Many Democrats sat this election out," said the Times.

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Joel Mathis, The Week US

Joel Mathis is a writer with 30 years of newspaper and online journalism experience. His work also regularly appears in National Geographic and The Kansas City Star. His awards include best online commentary at the Online News Association and (twice) at the City and Regional Magazine Association.