Presidential election results map. Red denotes those won by Trump/Vance, and Blue denotes states won by Harris/Walz. Numbers indicate allotted electoral votes.
11 of 50 state governors 2 of 5 territorial governors
Net seat change
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Map of the 2024 gubernatorial elections Democratic hold Republican hold New Progressive hold Non-partisan No election
The 2024 United States elections were held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. In the presidential election, former Republican President Donald Trump, seeking a non-consecutive second term, defeated the incumbent Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. Republicans also gained control of the Senate and held narrow control of the House of Representatives, winning a government trifecta for the first time since 2016.[1]
During the 2024 election cycle, Donald Trump faced multiple criminal and civil court cases. By December 2023, one month after announcing his re-election bid[2], he had four criminal indictments totaling 86 felony counts.[3] Trump and many Republicans would make numerous statements regarding Trump's criminal trials during the election cycle, claiming the cases were "rigged", "election interference", and "lawfare" orchestrated by President Biden and the Democratic Party, labels which were widely denounced as false.[4][5][6]
Trump was found liable on May 9, 2023, by an anonymous jury,[8] in E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump for battery and defamation[9], and was ordered to pay a total of $88.3-million combined judgement,[10] which Trump unsuccessfully appealed.
In September 2023, Trump was found guilty of financial fraud in New York v. Trump and was ordered to pay a $354.8-million judgement,[11] which Trump appealed.
Polling before the election indicated profound dissatisfaction with the state of American democracy on "both sides" of the electorate.[17]
Liberals tended to believe that conservatives were "threatening the country" with "Christian nationalistautocratic tendencies" following attempts to overturn the 2020 election,[18] with Harris herself calling Trump a "fascist" and labelling him as "dangerous".[19] According to one poll conducted on October 25, 2024, 49% of Americans saw Trump as a fascist, described as "a political extremist who seeks to act as a dictator, disregards individual rights and threatens or uses force against their opponents". Meanwhile, only 22% saw Harris as a fascist by this definition.[20]
Conservatives were concerned about the numerous prosecutions against Trump in what they characterized as "weaponizing the justice system"[21] or "lawfare"[6] by Democrats in federal and state government positions. While there had been constant criticism against these claims[22], polling throughout the election cycle showed that after his indictments began Trumps poll numbers saw an immediate rise which would remain throughout the rest of the election cycle,[23][24] and after his conviction in New York, polling among republicans showed that the conviction made 34% of them "more likely" to vote for Trump.[25] Trump also continued to repeat claims that his failed 2020 re-election effort was "stolen" through "election interference".[26]
After Trump was shot at an election rally in an assassination attempt[27], polling soon after the event showed that 1/3rd of Americans agreed that the assassination attempt of Trump was "part of a broader plot or conspiracy", and nearly half of those polled answering "very or somewhat likely" to the idea that "The U.S. will no longer be a democracy" within 10 years.[28]
Voters consistently cited the economy as their top issue in the 2024 election.[29] Following the COVID-19 pandemic, a global surge in inflation ensued that raised prices on many goods, though the U.S. inflation rate had declined significantly during 2023 and 2024.[30][31][32]The New York Times reported that both candidates "embraced a vision of a powerful federal government, using its muscle to intervene in markets in pursuit of a stronger and more prosperous economy."[33]
The chief divide between the two major parties on this issue going into the election cycle were the incumbent Democrats presenting a message that the economy was strong and well on its way to recovering from the effect of worldwide inflation, coining the term "Bidenomics"[34], with President Biden and Rep. Nancy Pelosi often remarking they "inherited" economic problems from Trumps first-term, claiming it was now "strong" under their leadership,[35][36] while Republicans focused on specific aspects affecting American consumers such as gas and grocery prices, with GOP messaging asking the question "Are you better off now than you were 4 years ago?",[37] asking voters to compare their experiences since Biden took over to their experience during Trump's first-term.
After Biden dropped out and endorsed Harris, the Harris campaign made a large shift in Democrat messaging on the economy issue, particularly on the topic of "affordability" where Democrat messaging began to widely accept that basic goods were still too expensive for the average American,[38] while trying to push broad economic proposals as possible solutions should Americans give Vice President Harris the Presidency and Democrats more power in Congress.[39]
Border security and immigration were among the top issues concerning potential voters in the election.[40][41] Polling throughout the election cycle showed that most Americans wanted to reduce immigration.[42] Soon after President Biden assumed office in 2021, entries into the US began to rise, worsening in 2023 and early 2024 as a surge of migrants through the border with Mexico occurred, causing record high levels of illegal entry into the US.[43] By June 2024, illegal crossings reached a three-year low following four consecutive monthly drops, which senior government officials attributed to increased enforcement between the United States and Mexico, the weather, and Biden's executive order which increased asylum restrictions.[44] Yet these lower numbers were still relatively high with well over 100,000 entries per month, well over the average entries recorded by the former Trump administration.[45]
This was the first presidential election held after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, and the third overall election cycle after the 2022 midterm elections and the 2023 off-year elections. Republican-controlled states predominantly passed near-total bans on abortion in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's June 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision. By April 2023, abortion was "largely illegal" in several states.[46] According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, there were 15 states that had de jure early stage bans on abortion explicitly without exceptions for rape or incest: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.[46] (Ohio voters subsequently codified abortion rights in Ohio's state constitution via November 2023 Ohio Issue 1.) In states with laws granting exceptions, it was reported de facto that "very few exceptions to these new abortion bans have been granted" and that patients who had been raped or otherwise qualified for exceptions were being turned away, citing "ambiguous laws and the threat of criminal penalties make them unwilling to test the rules".[47]
With the war in the Middle East between Israel and its regional neighbors under increased international scrutiny as it continued to escalate, many Americans had protested in support and in opposition to the United States continued friendship and alliance with Israel.
A Pro-Palestine Protest at Columbia University in New York
While many cities[49][50][51] and universities[52][53] experienced anti-Israeli protests calling on the US to end its support for the Israeli government and other Israeli institutions, which included calls for Americans to not support the 2024 election efforts of President Biden or Vice President Harris due to their administrations continued support for Israel,[54]Domestic American Pro-Israel groups had meanwhile spent large sums of money to support pro-Israel candidates against candidates critical of the Israeli government.[55][56] According to a campaign finance analysis by Politico, AIPAC was the "biggest source of Republican money flowing into competitive Democratic primaries this year."[57]
The 2024 United States presidential election was the 60th quadrennial U.S. presidential election. This was the first presidential election under the electoral vote distribution determined by the 2020 census. Presidential electors who would elect the President and Vice President of the United States were chosen; a simple majority (270) of the 538 electoral votes is required to win the election.
In October 2023, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his run as an independent presidential candidate.[71] On August 23, 2024, Kennedy announced he was suspending his campaign and backing Trump.[72] In July, intermediaries between Trump and Kennedy discussed a possible role for Kennedy in the Trump administration in return for his endorsement;[73] a month later, Kennedy made similar overtures to the Harris campaign, but was rebuffed.[74]
Senate elections
Control of Senate seats by class after the 2024 elections
All 33 seats in Senate Class 1 and one seat in Senate Class 2 were up for election; two additional special elections took place to fill vacancies that arose during the 118th Congress. Democrats controlled the majority in the closely divided Senate following the 2022 U.S. Senate elections, but they had to defend 23 seats in 2024. Three Democratic-held seats up for election were in the heavily Republican-leaning states of Montana, Ohio, and West Virginia, all of which were won comfortably by Trump in both 2016 and 2020.[75]
Special elections
Two special elections were held to fill the unexpired terms of senators who vacated their seats during the 118th Congress:
Nebraska Class 2: Republican Ben Sasse resigned his seat on January 8, 2023, to become President of the University of Florida. Pete Ricketts was appointed by Nebraska governor Jim Pillen to fill the seat until the special election, which took place concurrently with the regularly-scheduled 2024 Senate elections.[76][77][78]
Colorado's 4th congressional district: Republican Greg Lopez defeated Democrat Trisha Calvarese to succeed Republican Ken Buck, who resigned on March 22, 2024, due to dissatisfaction with the current Congress.[87] The district has a partisan index of R+13.[83]
Elections were held for the governorships of eleven of the fifty U.S. states and two U.S. territories. Special elections were held for vacancies in the other states and territories, if required by respective state or territorial constitutions.
Most legislative chambers held regularly scheduled elections in 2024. The exceptions are the Michigan Senate, Minnesota Senate, and both legislative chambers in the states of Alabama, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia. In chambers that use staggered terms, only a portion of the seats in the chamber were up for election.
Fayetteville, Arkansas: Four-term incumbent Lioneld Jordan is running for re-election. After no candidate received a majority of the vote, he will face Molly Rawn in a runoff election on December 3, 2024.[125]
Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Two-term incumbent Sharon Weston Broome is running for re-election. After no candidate received a majority of the vote, she will face Sid Edwards in a runoff election on December 7, 2024.[126]
Corpus Christi, Texas: Two-term incumbent Paulette Guajardo is running for re-election. After no candidate received a majority of the vote, she will face Michael Hunter in a runoff election on December 14, 2024.[127]
El Paso, Texas: Two-term incumbent Oscar Leeser is term-limited and ineligible for re-election. A runoff between businessman Renard Johnson and city councilor Brian Kennedy, the top-two vote getters in the November 5 primary, is to be held on December 14, 2024.[128]
Tribal elections
In January, the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation elected Sandra Pattea tribal President,[129] ousting long-term tribal leader Bernadine Burnette, who first joined the tribal council in 1992.[130] Also in January, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community elevated Cole Miller from vice chair to tribal chairman,[131] Debra O'Gara was elected President of the Petersburg Indian Association in Alaska,[132] Fred L. Romero was elected governor of the Taos Pueblo, and Craig Quanchello was named governor of the Picuris Pueblo.[133]
In March, the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma reelected Durell Cooper III as tribal chairman and Matthew Tselee as vice-chairman. Dustin Cozad was elected Apache Treasurer and Donald Komardley and Amber Achilta were elected to the tribe's business committee. The Peoria Tribe of Oklahoma elected Jason Dollarhide as treasurer, Carolyn Ritchey to the business committee, and Stacy Lindsly to the grievance committee.[136]
In April, Lisa Goree was elected chair of the Shinnecock Nation on Long Island. She is the first woman to lead the tribe since 1792.[137]
In May, Forrest Tahdooahnippah was elected as chair of the Comanche Nation, replacing Mark Woommavovah who declined to run for reelection after being censured for his approval of a refinery project on tribal land; Diana Doyebi-Sovo was elected vice-chair. The Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma elected Mikal Scott-Werner second chief, Kallista Keah as secretary-treasurer, Cody Hollenbeck first councilman, and Rachel Marie Yeakley to the tribe's grievance committee.[138] The Wasco, part of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, elected Jefferson Greene chief in a special election.[139] Michael Q. Primus II, Ben Lucero Wolf, Tiya “Tanequodle” Rosario, and Warren Quetone were elected to the Kiowa Tribe's legislature.[140] The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in Idaho elected Lee Juan Tyler as chair of the Fort Hall Business Council.[141]
In July, the Chickasaw Nation reelected David Woerz, Toby Perkins, Nancy Elliott, Shana Tate Darter, and Scott Wood to the tribe's legislature and Linda English Weeks to the tribe's supreme court.[144] Matthew Wesaw was reelected to a fourth term as chair of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians tribal council.[147]
In August, Kathleen Wooden Knife won an open-seat race to become the first woman elected President of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.[148]
In November, Gene Small was elected President of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, narrowly defeating incumbent Serena Wetherelt; Ernest Littlemouth Sr. was elected vice President. The Crow Tribe reelected Frank White Clay as tribal chair; Chippewa Cree Business Committee Chair Harlan Baker was also reelected.[151]
Referendums
In January, three proposed Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes constitutional amendments failed after only 11.3% of voters returned ballots, short of the 30% voter turnout required for constitutional amendments to pass by the tribe's constitution.[152]
In June, the Cherokee Nation rejected a referendum calling for a constitutional convention to amend or replace the tribe's constitution by a margin of 69.5% to 30.5%.[153] Also in June, the Osage Nation voters approved 76.9% to 23.1% a constitutional amendment allowing the Osage Congress to reject executive appointees during a special session.[143] A Kiowa Tribe referendum scheduled for June that would have raised citizens' blood quantum was cancelled.[140] A measure to approve opening of a retail cannabis dispensary on the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs reservation was not approved due to low voter turnout; the measure received approval from a majority of voters, but it required the approval of one-third of all eligible voters.[154]
In July, Seneca Nation voters rejected a referendum to establish a tribal police department.[155]
In October, the Yurok Tribe voted in favor of removing blood quantum requirements for membership with a descent-based tribal membership in an advisory referendum. The Yurok tribal council will decide whether or not to amend membership requirements in the tribe's constitution.[156]
This table shows the partisan results of presidential, congressional, gubernatorial, and state legislative races held in each state and territory in 2024. Note that not all states and territories hold gubernatorial, state legislative, and Senate elections in 2024. The five territories and Washington, D.C., do not elect members of the Senate, and the territories do not take part in presidential elections; instead, they each elect one non-voting member of the House. Nebraska's unicamerallegislature and the governorship and legislature of American Samoa are elected on a non-partisan basis, and political party affiliation is not listed.
On July 13, 2024, during an outdoor campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, President Donald Trump, then the Republican candidate for the 2024 Presidential Election, was shot in a failed assassination attempt. Trump was shot in the upper right ear, while one rally attendee was killed and two others were critically injured.[160] This marked the first time a current or former US President had been shot since then-President Ronald Reagan was shot on March 30, 1981, the first time a presidential candidate was shot on the campaign trail since the shooting of Democratic presidential candidate George Wallace on May 15, 1972,[161] and the first time a former President had been shot since the shooting of President Theodore Roosevelt on October 14, 1912 (who, similar to Donald Trump, was a former Republican President running for a non-consecutive term when he was shot, though Theodore Roosevelt was seeking a non-consecutive 3rd term as a 3rd party candidate after previously choosing not to run as a Republican in the 1908 election cycle).
On September 15, 2024, Trump's security detail spotted an armed man while the former President was touring his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. They opened fire on the suspect, who fled in a vehicle and was later captured thanks to the contribution of an eyewitness. In the location where the suspect was spotted, the police retrieved a modified SKS rifle with a scope, two rucksacks and a GoPro in what was called by the FBI a second assassination attempt.[162]
On November 4, 2024, a white supremacist was arrested for plotting an attack on an electrical substation in Nashville, Tennessee.[166] On November 5, a man was arrested at the U.S. Capitol under suspicion of an attempted arson attack.[167][168]
Several foreign nations reportedly interfered in the 2024 United States elections, including China, Iran, and Russia. The efforts largely focused on propaganda and disinformation campaigns using inauthentic accounts on social media, stoking domestic divisions, and denigrating the United States and democracy more broadly.[169][170][171]
^One of Arizona's senators, Mark Kelly, is a Democrat. The other senator from Arizona, Kyrsten Sinema, was elected as a Democrat but registered as an Independent in December 2022.
^Three of Maine's electoral votes were called for Biden, while one of its electoral votes was called for Trump.
^ abOne of Maine's senators, Susan Collins, is a Republican. The other senator from Maine, Angus King, is an independent who has caucused with Democrats since taking office in 2013.
^Three of Maine's electoral votes were called for Harris, while one of its electoral votes was called for Trump.
^Four of Nebraska's electoral votes were called for Trump, while one of its electoral votes was called for Biden.
^ abThough a majority of its members identify as Republicans, the unicameral Nebraska Legislature is officially nonpartisan.
^Four of Nebraska's electoral votes were called for Trump, while one of its electoral votes was called for Harris.
^ abOne of Vermont's senators, Peter Welch, is a Democrat. The other senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders, was elected as an independent and has caucused with Democrats since taking office in 2007.
^One of West Virginia's senators, Shelley Moore Capito, is a Republican. The other senator from West Virginia, Joe Manchin, was elected as a Democrat but registered as an Independent in May 2024.
^Although elections for governor of American Samoa are non-partisan, Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga affiliates with the Democratic Party.
^Although elections for governor of American Samoa are non-partisan, Governor-elect Pula Nikolao Pula affiliates with the Republican Party.
^Although Guam does not have a vote in the Electoral College, the territory has held a presidential advisory vote for every presidential election since 1980, and continued this tradition in 2024.
^Puerto Rican Governor Pedro Pierluisi is a member of the Puerto Rican New Progressive Party, but affiliates with the Democratic Party at the national level.
^ abPuerto Rico's Jenniffer González is a member of the New Progressive Party, but affiliates with the Republican Party at the national level.
^Although Puerto Rico does not have a vote in the Electoral College, the territory held a presidential advisory vote in 2024.
^Puerto Rico's Pablo Hernández Rivera is a member of the Popular Democratic Party, but affiliates with the Democratic Party at the national level.
^Gamio, Lazaro; Yourish, Karen; Haag, Matthew; Bromwich, Jonah E.; Haberman, Maggie; Lai, K.K. Rebecca (May 30, 2024). "The Trump Manhattan Criminal Verdict, Count By Count". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
^"What the first polls after Trump's conviction show — and don't show". NBC News. June 3, 2024. Retrieved November 24, 2024. In fact, in the same poll, 55% of Republican voters said the verdict didn't make a difference to their vote, and 34% said it made them more likely to vote for Trump.
^Leonhardt, David (January 17, 2024). "A 2024 Vulnerability". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 26, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
^ abEdsall, Thomas B. (April 12, 2023). "How The Right Came To Embrace Intrusive Government". The New York Times. ISSN0362-4331. Retrieved April 12, 2023. Republicans in states across the country are defiantly pushing for the criminalization of abortion — of the procedure, of abortifacient drugs and of those who travel out of state to terminate pregnancy... According to research provided to The Times by the Kaiser Family Foundation, states that have abortion bans at various early stages of pregnancy with no exception for rape or incest include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
^Walker, Amy Schoenfeld (January 21, 2023). "Most Abortion Bans Include Exceptions. In Practice, Few Are Granted". The New York Times. ISSN0362-4331. Retrieved April 13, 2023. ...But in the months since the court's decision, very few exceptions to these new abortion bans have been granted, a New York Times review of available state data and interviews with dozens of physicians, advocates and lawmakers revealed. Instead, those with means are traveling to states where abortion is still broadly legal or are obtaining abortion pills at home because the requirements to qualify for exceptions are too steep. Doctors and hospitals are turning away patients, saying that ambiguous laws and the threat of criminal penalties make them unwilling to test the rules.
