The polls are closed and the results are in: Voter turnout for the 2024 general election fell roughly in line with turnout rates from previous presidential elections.
Although some votes are still being counted, unofficial results the day after the election put the 2024 general election statewide turnout rate at 58.8%, just under the 60.3% rate for the 2020 presidential election. Turnout rates tend to be higher overall during presidential elections, and turnout rates in Boone, Kenton and Campbell Counties hovered around the state’s overall turnout rate while also falling in line with trends from previous presidential races.
There were some differences between previous elections and this election, however. One key difference was the increase in the number of people who voted early.
Early voting figures--for both absentee and non-absentee early voting-- saw nearly 8,000 take to the polls before Election Day, according to Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams, who took to X (formerly Twitter) Sunday afternoon to announce the number. 792,476 Kentuckians had already cast their votes as of that date.
200,637 Kentuckians took advantage of Saturday early voting. With absentee ballots received so far, and in-person excused absentee voting and early voting concluded, 792,476 Kentuckians have voted in the 2024 general election to date. — Michael Adams, KY Secretary of State (@KYSecState) November 3, 2024
Just over 3.5 million Kentuckians had registered to vote before the election (with 115,023 registered in Boone County, 146,425 registered in Kenton County and 79,868 registered in Campbell County).
Kenton County Board of Elections Chair Gabe Summe said that a lot of things can affect turnout besides the presence of a presidential race.
"Every election is based on what's on the ballot," said Summe.
This year, for instance, had numerous local races as well as two constitutional amendments, one of which managed to capture the minds of many Kentuckians. Even though there was an increase in registrations in Kenton County from last year, the turnout rate failed to breach 60%, something that surprised Summe.
Still, people did seem to be more curious about what they were voting for, Summe said.
"'What else is on the ballot?'" Summe said. "I heard that more than I can tell you."
Turnout rates are measured as percentages, meaning that just because a turnout rate increases doesn't necessarily mean more people are voting.
Although Kenton County registrations were the highest they've been in the last eight years, the highest number of people who actually showed up to vote in the last eight years happened in 2020. Boone County saw the highest number of people voting in the last eight years in 2024, even though the number of registrations was actually lower than it was in 2022. Finally, Campbell County displayed records in neither registrations nor votes cast in the last years, in spite of consistently having the highest turnout rate in the region.
Differences in registration numbers, what's actually on the ballot, and the availability of early voting are things that need to be considered when making comparisons, Summe said.
"It's hard to compare 2020," Summe said, the first year early voting was instituted, to this year because there were fewer days this year to cast early votes.
Although there were reports of long lines at early voting centers, much of the early voting process seems to have gone smoothly.
Former Republican Secretary of State Trey Grayson said on X he served as an elections officer in Boone County on Saturday.
“We had nonstop voting from 7 a.m., when we opened, until 30 minutes after the scheduled 3 p.m. closing in order to allow everyone in line at 3 p.m. to vote,” Grayson said. “Our voters were friendly and patient. No one was rude. It was a good day.”
Analyses of 2024's turnout based on party affiliation and other demographics are forthcoming from the state, but there's one key trend that stands out both in Northern Kentucky and in the state generally--Republicans turn out at higher rates than Democrats, independents and members of other parties.
You can see detailed breakdowns of voter turnout in past elections by county, gender, and party affiliation at the Kentucky Secretary of State's voter turnout page.