US Election Turnout: 2020 Peak of 155M Votes Never Repeated
US turnout dropped from 155.5M votes in 2020 to approx. 129.3M in 2024, reigniting mail-ballot fraud debates.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The Unmatched 2020 US Election Vote Peak
In 2020, the US presidential election recorded 155,507,476 votes. Four years later, with counting still underway, the figure hovers around 129,347,671. The difference exceeds 26 million ballots. This data supports a recurring post-election analysis thesis: that the 2020 participation spike was anomalous and that record mobilization under the guise of mail-in voting and the pandemic has never been fully explained. Suspicion is not new, but the contrast with current numbers has provided ammunition.
What the Numbers Say: 155 Million vs. 129
Historical trends are stubborn. In 2004, 121,069,054 votes were registered; in 2008, 129,446,839; in 2012, 126,849,299; in 2016, 128,838,342. For two decades, the range fluctuated between 120 and 130 million. In 2020, it surged to 155,507,476. Four years later, the provisional count stands at 129,347,671, practically the same floor as in 2016. The 2020 jump has no parallel in the modern series.
Some argue the explanation lies in the pandemic: mail-in voting became massive, and millions who never voted did so from their sofas. Others see precisely this as the loophole. Mail-in voting, they argue, is the door through which fraud enters, noting that it is restricted in France. The debate over whether that mobilized electorate was real or inflated remains unresolved.
Drop in Democratic Votes: 20 Million Fewer
The data that peine the debate is the difference between votes obtained by the Democratic candidate in 2020 versus 2024. The circulating figure is 20 million fewer. Critics argue there is no significant voter deviation justifying such a collapse. A more benign interpretation suggests part of the Democratic electorate simply stayed home, weary of both sides. The harsher conclusion states those votes never existed.
The counter-argument also holds weight: if fraud was possible in 2020, why wasn't it repeated in 2024? Those suspecting foul play answer that scrutiny was much higher, pressure on the system increased, and the vote avalanche was too large to contain. There is no proof of any of this. Only indications, correlations, and a series of clashing figures.
Mail-In Voting and the Ghost of 1960
Distrust in mail-in voting is not new. The 1960 case is cited as a precedent for recognized electoral fraud. In the US, electoral power is fragmented, and controls vary by state, hindering homogeneous audits. Defenders of system integrity point out that no investigation has proven large-scale rigging, and complaints filed in 2020 were dismissed by courts.
Skeptics respond that investigations were not allowed. It is the classic circular argument: without investigation, there is no proof; without proof, there is no investigation. The discussion goes in circles while participation data fails to align with historical trends.
Context: An Election with Three Assassination Attempts and a Demonized Candidate
The 2024 climate was anything but normal. According to recurring analyses, the Republican candidate survived three assassination attempts. He was demonized in all media, systematically discredited, and subjected to unprecedented scrutiny. That he won anyway, and that his rival lost 20 million votes compared to 2020, is what has strained the official narrative.
The simplest explanation, requiring no conspiracy, is that the 2020 Democratic electorate was inflated by antiestéticar of Trump, and that antiestéticar had dissipated by 2024. The uncomfortable explanation is that non-existent votes were counted in 2020. Neither can be proven with available data.
What Might Happen Now
Counting continues in several states. Final figures may rise slightly, but not enough to close the 26-million gap. The debate over mail-in voting will return because the system remains unchanged and distrust persists. The only way to settle it would be an independent audit, which no one has formally requested. With these elements, the ghost of 2020 will continue to cause trouble for a long time.
Key Data
In 2020, the US presidential election recorded 155,507,476 votes. Four years later, with counting still underway, the figure hovers around 129,347,671. The difference exceeds 26 million ballots. This data supports a recurring post-election analysis thesis: that the 2020 participation spike was anomalous and that record mobilization under the guise of mail-in voting and the pandemic has never been fully explained. Suspicion is not new, but the contrast with current numbers has provided ammunition.
What the Numbers Say: 155 Million vs. 129
Historical trends are stubborn. In 2004, 121,069,054 votes were registered; in 2008, 129,446,839; in 2012, 126,849,299; in 2016, 128,838,342. For two decades, the range fluctuated between 120 and 130 million. In 2020, it surged to 155,507,476. Four years later, the provisional count stands at 129,347,671, practically the same floor as in 2016. The 2020 jump has no parallel in the modern series.
Some argue the explanation lies in the pandemic: mail-in voting became massive, and millions who never voted did so from their sofas. Others see precisely this as the loophole. Mail-in voting, they argue, is the door through which fraud enters, noting that it is restricted in France. The debate over whether that mobilized electorate was real or inflated remains unresolved.
Drop in Democratic Votes: 20 Million Fewer
The data that peine the debate is the difference between votes obtained by the Democratic candidate in 2020 versus 2024. The circulating figure is 20 million fewer. Critics argue there is no significant voter deviation justifying such a collapse. A more benign interpretation suggests part of the Democratic electorate simply stayed home, weary of both sides. The harsher conclusion states those votes never existed.
The counter-argument also holds weight: if fraud was possible in 2020, why wasn't it repeated in 2024? Those suspecting foul play answer that scrutiny was much higher, pressure on the system increased, and the vote avalanche was too large to contain. There is no proof of any of this. Only indications, correlations, and a series of clashing figures.
Mail-In Voting and the Ghost of 1960
Distrust in mail-in voting is not new. The 1960 case is cited as a precedent for recognized electoral fraud. In the US, electoral power is fragmented, and controls vary by state, hindering homogeneous audits. Defenders of system integrity point out that no investigation has proven large-scale rigging, and complaints filed in 2020 were dismissed by courts.
Skeptics respond that investigations were not allowed. It is the classic circular argument: without investigation, there is no proof; without proof, there is no investigation. The discussion goes in circles while participation data fails to align with historical trends.
Context: An Election with Three Assassination Attempts and a Demonized Candidate
The 2024 climate was anything but normal. According to recurring analyses, the Republican candidate survived three assassination attempts. He was demonized in all media, systematically discredited, and subjected to unprecedented scrutiny. That he won anyway, and that his rival lost 20 million votes compared to 2020, is what has strained the official narrative.
The simplest explanation, requiring no conspiracy, is that the 2020 Democratic electorate was inflated by antiestéticar of Trump, and that antiestéticar had dissipated by 2024. The uncomfortable explanation is that non-existent votes were counted in 2020. Neither can be proven with available data.
What Might Happen Now
Counting continues in several states. Final figures may rise slightly, but not enough to close the 26-million gap. The debate over mail-in voting will return because the system remains unchanged and distrust persists. The only way to settle it would be an independent audit, which no one has formally requested. With these elements, the ghost of 2020 will continue to cause trouble for a long time.
Key Data
- 2004: 121,069,054 votes
- 2008: 129,446,839 votes
- 2012: 126,849,299 votes
- 2016: 128,838,342 votes
- 2020: 155,507,476 votes
- 2024: 129,347,671 votes (provisional)
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (139 replies).
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