Understanding Voter Registration and Turnout for the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election
Introduction
The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election garnered significant attention and scrutiny, particularly regarding the numbers of registered voters and the associated turnout. Understanding the dynamics of voter registration and actual voting is crucial for comprehending the democratic process.
Registered Voters and Inactive Registrants
As of the data available, approximately 209,441,338 people were registered to vote in the 2020 presidential election in the United States. However, 18,563,026 of these registrations were considered inactive and would have required additional verification steps, such as address confirmation, to be eligible to vote.
Irrelevant and Invalid Categories
To clarify, voter registration and voting eligibility are standardized and do not include dead individuals, illegal immigrants, terrorists, mentally incapacitated persons, or extraterrestrial beings. Instances of doubt regarding voter registration numbers are often manipulated to create confusion. Dogs, cats, monkeys, and other non-human entities are also excluded from voter registration.
Populations Under Scrutiny
Some individuals have raised questions about whether certain categories, such as prisoners or the feeble-minded, are included in voter registration numbers. However, the U.S. Constitution and various state laws do not grant the right to vote to felons or people with mental disabilities unless the law specifically excludes them.
Prisoners, in most cases, lose their voting rights and are not included in voting statistics, under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which aimed to protect the voting rights of minorities.
Voter Turnout and Registration Numbers
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 135 million individuals were initially thought to be registered to vote, with an eventual tally of around 150 million votes cast.
Recent data shows that approximately 168 million people were initially registered to vote for the 2020 election. As of January 1, 2021, Reuters estimated that 239,247,182 people were eligible to vote, with 206,557,583 registered voters.
The actual number of voters who cast their ballots was 158,429,631, with 76.69% of registered voters participating. Breakdowns of the vote by candidate are as follows:
Joe Biden: 81,283,501 votes Donald Trump: 74,223,975 votes Jo Jorgensen (Libertarian): 1,865,535 votes Howie Hawkins (Green Party): 407,068 votes Other: 649,552 votesConclusion
The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election had one of the highest voter turnouts in the 21st century, reflecting the enthusiasm and engagement of American voters. Understanding the nuances of voter registration and turnout is essential for maintaining transparency and integrity in democratic processes.