Hennepin County sees lower voter turnout in 2024 election

By FOX 9 Staff
Published  November 15, 2024 12:00pm CST
FOX 9

I voted stickers.  (FOX 9 / FOX 9)

The Brief

    • Voter turnout in Hennepin County was 81.71% of registered voters in 2024.
    • This is more than a 4% drop from 85.13% of registered voters who cast a ballot in 2020.
    • A total of 724,543 Hennepin County ballots were cast in 2024, compared to 760,044 ballots in 2020.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Hennepin County saw 35,501 fewer registered voters cast ballots in the 2024 election compared to 2020.

READ MORE: Minnesota voter turnout estimated below 2020 record

What we know

Hennepin County officials shared the following numbers on voter turnout:

  • The total number of ballots cast in 2024 is 724,543, compared to 760,044 votes in 2020.
  • The total number of absentee ballots cast in 2024 is 346,993, compared to 531,609 in 2020.
  • The total number of Election Day ballots cast in 2024 is 377,550, compared to 228,435 in 2020.
  • The percentage of voter turnout in 2024 is 81.71%, compared to 85.13% in 2020.

READ MORE: Minnesota election results: Presidential results by county

Background

Minnesota is typically among the leading states in the nation for voter turnout, according to the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, and has supported Democratic presidential candidates for the past 13 elections. 

READ MORE: Where Minnesota ranks among least, most politically engaged states

The downward trend of voter turnout was also seen during the 2024 primaries, when only 12% of eligible Minnesota voters cast a ballot, according to the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State.

READ MORE: Minnesota primaries: 12% of eligible voters actually cast a ballot

Data from the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State shows that by comparison, 2022 saw a larger turnout of 19.2% during the primaries statewide.

The Source 

  • Statistics shared by Hennepin County officials based on data from the Minnesota Secretary of State.