Title: How Many People Voted in the 2020 Election? - Voter Turnout Breaks Modern Records
Headings: The 2020 Election Had the Highest Voter Turnout in Modern History
The 2020 Election Had the Highest Voter Turnout in Modern History
A projected 161 million Americans voted in the presidential election.

Content: Hayes eventually won the presidency in a close, contested election. These historical numbers have a caveat, however, given that many segments of the population were disenfranchised from the electoral process. For much of American history, only white men could vote. While the 1876 election included both white and Black men, numbers could have been even higher without the immense voter suppression of Black Americans, and women could not yet vote. The expansion of vote by mail may be part of the reason this year’s turnout is so high. ROBYN BECKGetty Images
As for modern history, the 2020 numbers have surpassed those from recent presidential elections. In the 2016 race between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and then-candidate Donald Trump, the turnout rate was 60.2%. As for President Barack Obama's tenure, in 2008, when he ran against Senator John McCain, turnout was at 62.2%. In 2012, against Senator Mitt Romney, turnout was lower, at 58.6%. Some of this year's high turnout may be attributed to the expansion of access to mail-in ballots and early voting, with many states changing their policies due to the coronavirus pandemic.