Fact check: What was the voter turnout in California for the 2024 presidential election?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the official data from California's Secretary of State, 16,140,044 Californians voted in the 2024 presidential election, representing a voter turnout of 71.43% of registered voters and 59.97% of the eligible voting age population ^[1]. This figure is corroborated by the Public Policy Institute of California, which reports approximately 16 million Californians voted in 2024 ^[2].

The 2024 election marked a significant decline in voter participation compared to 2020. Multiple sources confirm that California experienced a substantial drop in turnout, with the Center for Inclusive Democracy finding that eligible voter turnout decreased by nearly five percentage points compared to the 2020 presidential election ^[3]. The Public Policy Institute of California provides more specific metrics, reporting a decline of 9.7% as a share of registrants and 11.3% as a share of eligible residents ^[2].

In absolute numbers, this translates to approximately 1.7 million fewer ballots cast in 2024 compared to 2020, with over one million fewer registered Californians voting ^{[2] [3]}.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The analyses reveal important contextual information about California's 2024 voting patterns that extends beyond simple turnout numbers. The election results showed Vice President Kamala Harris receiving 58.5% of the votes and President Donald Trump receiving 38.3% ^[4], indicating the political landscape despite reduced participation.

The turnout decline was not isolated to specific demographics or regions but occurred "across the board" throughout California ^[5]. This suggests systemic factors rather than targeted voter suppression or enthusiasm gaps in particular communities.

The sources indicate this was part of a broader pattern, with one analysis noting that the 2024 presidential election "reveals big shift in California voting patterns" ^[4], though the specific nature of these shifts beyond turnout numbers is not detailed in the provided analyses.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question asking "What was the voter turnout in California for the 2024 presidential election?" contains no apparent misinformation or bias. It is a straightforward factual inquiry seeking specific electoral data. The question is neutral in tone and does not contain leading language or assumptions that would suggest a particular agenda.

The question appropriately seeks official turnout figures, which the analyses provide through authoritative sources including the California Secretary of State's certified results ^[1] and established research institutions like the Public Policy Institute of California and USC's Center for Inclusive Democracy.