Dems, MAGA trade charges on election fraud as 2024 turnout is 16 million lower than in 2020

TOI Correspondent from Washington: It is now the turn of Democrats devastated by the election loss to yell voter fraud and float conspiracy theories after preliminary figures showed a massive 13 million drop in ballots for Kamala Harris compared to what Joe Biden polled in 2020.

Provisional numbers show Donald Trump polling close to 72.5 million votes (50.9 per cent) nationwide against Kamala Harris' 68 million (47.8 percent). In comparison, Biden polled more than 81 million votes (51.3 percent) in 2020 compared to Trump's 74 million (46.8 percent) in 2020. Overall turnout shows that 155million voters cast ballots in 2020 (during covid) compared to only 139 million in 2024.

Harris supporters are now asking how there could be a massive 13 million drop in ballots for the Democratic candidate who by their accounts generated large crowds and perceptible voter enthusiasm during an energetic campaign. There is also a 16 million drop in voting overall.

While the straightforward answer appears to be 13 million Democrats (or those who voted Democrat) in 2020 simply stayed home for various reasons (sexism/gender, racism, weren't enthused by Harris and/or her policies), some Harris supporters are alleging a election heist, variously attributing it to Russian interference, Chinese hand, Musk mischief etc.

They are also cherrypicking stray Trump quotes during the campaign, including the times he told his supporters "we don't need the votes...I have so many votes," "don't worry about voting...we have all the votes we need," and "you never have to vote for me again after you vote for me this one time."

Despite his conflicting remarks, preliminary analysis of voting data and exit polls indicate Trump's managed to enthuse his MAGA base far better than Harris galvanized Democrats, millions of whom appeared to have bailed out on her despite her massive financial advantage, more coordinated campaign, and better ground operations. In contrast, the MAGA campaign was chaotic and sketchy, with only Trump and Elon Musk carrying the torch.

Trump was also powered by Latino and black men who voted for him in greater numbers than in 2020, even as Harris underperformed with the much-bruited support for her from women. In fact, in almost every state and county across the country, Harris underperformed Biden in 2020 even as Trump overperformed his own numbers in 2020 and 2016, pointing to a massive MAGA surge that surprised even Republicans.

Ironically, it was Trump himself who alerted his social media followers to potential election fraud just before polls closed on Tuesday, posting about about some disturbances in Philadelphia and warning "law enforcement is coming!" Nothing more was heard from him rest of the evening as counting began.

While Harris supporters kvetched about the 13 million to 16 million votes "missing" in the 2024 elections, Trump supporters clapped back saying the numbers indicated Democrats stole the 2020 elections, something the MAGA supremo has often alleged. "The scariest thing about the 2024 election is that someone created almost 20 million Democrat votes out of thin air in the 2020 election but decided not do it in 2024," read one post on X.