Fact check: Voter turnout in 2024 Presidental election in Texas?

1. Summary of the results

The 2024 presidential election in Texas saw approximately 61% of registered voters cast ballots, representing about 11.3 million people ^[1]. This marked a nearly 6 percentage-point drop in turnout compared to four years ago ^{[1] [2]}.

When measured against voting-age citizens rather than registered voters, the participation rate was 57.9%, making Texas the second lowest in the nation for voter turnout ^[3].

Early voting patterns showed a significant decline, with 48.6% of registered voters participating in early voting, down from 57.2% in 2020 ^[4]. More than 9 million Texans either voted in person during the two weeks of early voting or returned their absentee ballots by November 1st ^[4].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks crucial demographic context that reveals significant racial and ethnic disparities in voter participation. Turnout was highest among white non-Hispanic voters at 66.6%, while other groups showed lower participation: Black voters at 57.7%, Asian voters at 52.3%, and Hispanic voters at just 44.5% ^[3].

An important structural factor missing from the simple turnout question is that Texas has some of the most restrictive voter laws in the country ^[2]. This context is essential for understanding why turnout declined and why Texas ranks so low nationally.

The analyses also note that mail-in voting experienced a dramatic decline ^[4], which could significantly impact overall turnout figures and suggests changes in voting accessibility or preferences.

One source emphasizes that low participation doesn't necessarily imply voter apathy ^[3], suggesting there may be systemic barriers rather than lack of interest driving the low turnout numbers.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself contains no misinformation, as it simply asks for factual turnout data. However, the question's simplicity could lead to incomplete understanding of the voting landscape in Texas.

By asking only for raw turnout numbers, the question omits critical context about:

• Restrictive voting laws that may suppress participation
• Significant racial disparities in voting access and participation
• Structural barriers that differentiate between voter apathy and voter suppression

Political actors who benefit from maintaining restrictive voting laws might prefer discussions that focus solely on turnout percentages without examining the underlying causes of low participation. Conversely, voting rights advocates would benefit from highlighting the systemic factors that contribute to Texas's poor national ranking in voter participation.