In the aftermath of the 2024 election, as ballots continued to be tallied, a claim began to spread across social media platforms alleging a significant discrepancy: a purported gap of 15 to 20 million votes compared to the 2020 election. This assertion quickly fueled discussions about potential voter irregularities and fraud. However, a closer examination reveals that this claim is unfounded and stems from a misunderstanding of ongoing vote counting processes. It’s crucial to understand where this narrative originated and to debunk the notion that millions of votes have mysteriously vanished.
The narrative of “missing votes” often gains traction in the wake of elections, particularly in closely contested races. In this instance, the claim that 20 million votes are unaccounted for is being used to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the 2024 election, and, in some cases, to re-ignite claims of fraud in the 2020 election. Prominent conservative voices amplified this idea shortly after Election Day. For example, conservative influencer Benny Johnson posted on social media platform X, questioning the supposed disappearance of “20 million Democrats” between 2020 and 2024, suggesting foul play due to an observed difference in vote counts for President Biden in 2020 versus Vice President Harris in 2024. Similarly, the website ZeroHedge, known for spreading misinformation, shared a graph purporting to show a substantial decrease in Democratic votes in 2024 compared to 2020 and previous election cycles. This visual representation further fueled the narrative of missing votes and alleged electoral irregularities. Adding to this chorus, the influencer DC_Draino shared the same graph on Instagram, implying that the supposed vote gap was evidence of successfully preventing a repeat of alleged 2020 “shenanigans.”
Conversely, some left-leaning accounts also contributed to the confusion, echoing inaccurate claims about “missing” votes, suggesting that these discrepancies indicated fraud in the 2024 election itself. These posts often cited anecdotal reports of voters encountering issues with online vote tracking systems, further fueling the speculation of widespread irregularities.
However, the reality behind these claims is far less sensational and significantly more mundane: ballot counting was still underway. At the time these claims surfaced, election officials across numerous states were diligently working to process and count the remaining ballots, a routine part of every election cycle. The apparent “gap” in votes was simply a snapshot in time, reflecting incomplete data rather than any sinister disappearance of ballots.
To understand why comparing early, incomplete counts to final tallies from previous elections is misleading, it’s helpful to consider the timeline and processes involved in US elections. While election day provides initial results, the official vote count extends for days, and sometimes weeks, afterward. States have varying procedures and deadlines for counting ballots, particularly mail-in ballots, which have become increasingly prevalent in recent elections.
California serves as a prime example of this extended counting process. The state, heavily referenced in some of the social media posts alleging fraud, typically takes longer than many other states to finalize its election results. This is due to several factors, including the widespread use of mail-in ballots, which are sent to every registered voter and require more processing time than in-person votes. Furthermore, California election law allows ballots postmarked by Election Day to be received and counted up to seven days after Election Day. In the days following the 2024 election, California still had millions of ballots left to be processed, directly contributing to the perceived “vote gap” when comparing early tallies to the complete 2020 numbers. As of November 8th, the California Secretary of State’s office estimated approximately 5 million unprocessed ballots remaining. Even as late as November 13th, an estimated 2.1 million votes were still uncounted in California alone.
It’s also important to recognize that fluctuations in vote totals between election cycles are normal and do not inherently indicate fraud. Voter turnout varies from election to election, and different candidates and political climates can lead to shifts in voter preferences and participation. Historically, it is not uncommon for a presidential candidate to receive fewer votes than their predecessor from the same party. For instance, in 1988, George H.W. Bush garnered 5.6 million fewer votes than Ronald Reagan in 1984. Similarly, Barack Obama received 3.6 million fewer votes in 2012 compared to his 2008 election victory. These historical precedents demonstrate that variations in vote counts are a natural part of the electoral process and not evidence of malfeasance.
Moreover, election security officials have affirmed the integrity of the 2024 election. Jen Easterly, Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), stated on November 6th that there was “no evidence of any malicious activity that had a material impact on the security or integrity of our election infrastructure.” This assessment from a leading cybersecurity expert further undermines claims of widespread fraud or manipulation.
In conclusion, the assertion that 20 million votes went “missing” in the 2024 election is a baseless claim fueled by incomplete information and a misunderstanding of election procedures. The perceived vote gap was simply a result of ongoing ballot counting, particularly in states like California with extended processing timelines. Comparing preliminary vote tallies to final results from previous elections is an inaccurate and misleading practice. Normal variations in voter turnout and historical precedents further debunk the notion of a suspicious vote disappearance. Ultimately, claims of missing votes serve to spread misinformation and undermine public confidence in the democratic process. It is crucial to rely on verified sources and allow election officials to complete their work of counting every eligible vote before drawing conclusions about election outcomes or alleging irregularities.
