Racial voting disparities appear at several stages of participation: eligibility, registration, voting, and the way people cast ballots. The Census Bureau’s Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2024 reports different shares for non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic Asian, and Hispanic people, as well as changes in the racial composition of presidential voters since 1980.
On this page
- 2024 registration and turnout shares
- Representation gaps between eligible citizens and voters
- How the composition of voters changed since 1980
- Early and mail voting differences
- Why registered people did not vote
- Why eligible people did not register
2024 registration and turnout shares
The 2024 Census Bureau measures distinguish the citizen voting-age population (CVAP), registered citizens, and the voting population. These are different populations. A group’s share of the voting population therefore cannot be read as its share of all adult residents or as a direct measure of turnout rate.
Among the four named groups, non-Hispanic White people represented 65.5% of the 2024 CVAP, 69.0% of registered citizens, and 70.6% of voters. Non-Hispanic Black people represented 12.5% of CVAP, 11.9% of registered citizens, and 11.5% of voters. Non-Hispanic Asian people represented 5.2% of CVAP, 4.7% of registered citizens, and 4.6% of voters. Hispanic people of any race represented 13.9% of CVAP, 11.6% of registered citizens, and 10.7% of voters. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2024, 2024.
The corresponding population counts show the scale behind those percentages. The 2024 CVAP included 154.6 million non-Hispanic White people, 29.48 million non-Hispanic Black people, 12.33 million non-Hispanic Asian people, and 32.76 million Hispanic people. The registered-citizen population included 120.0 million non-Hispanic White people, 20.73 million non-Hispanic Black people, 8.154 million non-Hispanic Asian people, and 20.14 million Hispanic people. Census Bureau, 2024.
The voting population included 108.9 million non-Hispanic White people, 17.70 million non-Hispanic Black people, 7.122 million non-Hispanic Asian people, and 16.57 million Hispanic people. Non-Hispanic White voters therefore numbered 108.9 million, compared with 17.70 million non-Hispanic Black voters. Non-Hispanic Asian voters numbered 7.122 million, compared with 16.57 million Hispanic voters. These counts describe the 2024 voting population and should not be confused with each group’s turnout rate. Census Bureau, 2024.
| Group | Share of 2024 CVAP | Share of registered citizens | Share of voters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White | 65.5% | 69.0% | 70.6% |
| Non-Hispanic Black | 12.5% | 11.9% | 11.5% |
| Non-Hispanic Asian | 5.2% | 4.7% | 4.6% |
| Hispanic, any race | 13.9% | 11.6% | 10.7% |
Representation gaps between eligible citizens and voters
Comparing a group’s share of CVAP with its share of voters provides a descriptive representation gap. It does not by itself identify the cause of the gap, and it is not the same as comparing individual turnout rates.
In 2024, non-Hispanic White voters were overrepresented by 5.1 percentage points relative to the group’s 65.5% CVAP share. Non-Hispanic Black voters were underrepresented by 1.0 percentage point relative to a 12.5% CVAP share. Non-Hispanic Asian voters were underrepresented by 0.6 percentage point relative to a 5.2% CVAP share. Hispanic voters were underrepresented by 3.1 percentage points relative to a 13.9% CVAP share. Census Bureau, 2024.
The registration figures show a similar pattern for three groups. Non-Hispanic White people accounted for 69.0% of registered citizens compared with 65.5% of CVAP. Non-Hispanic Black people accounted for 11.9% of registered citizens compared with 12.5% of CVAP, while non-Hispanic Asian people accounted for 4.7% of registered citizens compared with 5.2% of CVAP. Hispanic people accounted for 11.6% of registered citizens compared with 13.9% of CVAP. Census Bureau, 2024.
How the composition of voters changed since 1980
The racial and Hispanic-origin composition of presidential voters changed substantially between 1980 and 2024. Non-Hispanic White people made up 87.6% of presidential voters in 1980 and 70.6% in 2024. Non-Hispanic Black people made up 10.0% in 1980 and 11.5% in 2024. Hispanic people made up 2.6% in 1980 and 10.7% in 2024. Non-Hispanic Asian people made up 1.0% in 1980 and 4.6% in 2024. Census Bureau, 1980–2024 historical series.
The non-Hispanic Black share of presidential voters was 12.1% in 2008 and 12.9% in 2012. It was 11.7% in 2020, according to the Census Bureau’s historical series. These points describe the racial composition of presidential voters in those elections, not a forecast or an estimate of future participation. Census Bureau, 2008, 2012, and 2020.
The 2024 Hispanic share of the presidential voting population, 10.7%, was among the highest recorded for the group. The 2024 non-Hispanic Asian share, 4.6%, was also among the highest recorded for that group. Census Bureau, 2024 historical comparison.
Early and mail voting differences
Nontraditional voting includes voting methods outside the traditional pattern measured by the Census Bureau. In 2024, nontraditional voting accounted for 60.1% of all voters, compared with 69.4% in 2020. The overall rate was 20.7% in 2004. Every race or Hispanic-origin breakdown was higher in 2024 than in 2016 but lower than in 2020. Census Bureau, 2004 and 2016–2024.
Non-Hispanic Asian voters had the highest nontraditional voting rate among racial and Hispanic-origin groups in both 2020 and 2024. Hispanic voters were more likely than non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic Other voters to cast nontraditional ballots in each of the three elections from 2016 through 2024. Census Bureau, 2016–2024.
The largest racial or Hispanic-origin increase in nontraditional voting between 2016 and 2024 was among non-Hispanic Asian voters, whose rate rose by 26.5 percentage points. The 2024 level therefore reflects both a broad post-2016 increase and a decline from the exceptional 2020 overall rate. Census Bureau, 2016–2024.
Why registered people did not vote
Among registered nonvoters in 2024, the largest reported reason across each of the four named groups was not being interested in the election or feeling that the vote would not matter. The share ranged from 17.4% among non-Hispanic White registered nonvoters to 23.9% among Hispanic registered nonvoters. The figures describe reported reasons within each group’s registered nonvoters, not all eligible people. Census Bureau, 2024.
| Reported reason | Non-Hispanic White | Non-Hispanic Black | Non-Hispanic Asian | Hispanic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not interested or vote would not matter | 17.4% | 23.6% | 18.1% | 23.9% |
| Too busy or conflicting schedule | 16.1% | 16.6% | 21.4% | 22.7% |
| Disliked candidates or campaign issues | 15.7% | 15.5% | 12.2% | 12.4% |
| Illness or disability | 13.4% | 13.9% | 10.2% | 11.5% |
| Other reason | 12.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% | 11.3% |
Schedule conflicts were reported by 16.1% of non-Hispanic White, 16.6% of non-Hispanic Black, 21.4% of non-Hispanic Asian, and 22.7% of Hispanic registered nonvoters. Disliking the candidates or campaign issues was reported by 15.7%, 15.5%, 12.2%, and 12.4%, respectively. Illness or disability was reported by 13.4%, 13.9%, 10.2%, and 11.5%. Census Bureau, 2024.
Less common reported reasons also differed. Being out of town was reported by 7.6% of non-Hispanic White, 5.0% of non-Hispanic Black, 12.9% of non-Hispanic Asian, and 7.1% of Hispanic registered nonvoters. Forgetting to vote was reported by 4.7%, 2.4%, 4.2%, and 6.2%. Registration problems were reported by 4.6%, 2.0%, 3.2%, and 0.3%. Census Bureau, 2024.
An inconvenient polling place was reported by 2.4% of non-Hispanic White, 2.2% of non-Hispanic Black, 1.1% of non-Hispanic Asian, and 1.9% of Hispanic registered nonvoters. Transportation problems were reported by 2.1%, 3.7%, 0.9%, and 3.9%, respectively. Bad weather was reported by 0.4% of non-Hispanic White, 0.2% of non-Hispanic Black, 0.4% of non-Hispanic Asian, and 0.0% of Hispanic registered nonvoters. Census Bureau, 2024.
Why eligible people did not register
The Census Bureau also asked people who were not registered why they had not registered. Among non-Hispanic White people who were not registered in 2024, 45.5% said they were not interested in the election or not involved in politics. The corresponding shares were 39.7% among non-Hispanic Black people, 36.5% among non-Hispanic Asian people, and 37.6% among Hispanic people. Census Bureau, 2024.
Missing a registration deadline was a smaller but measurable reported reason. It was cited by 11.5% of non-Hispanic White people who were not registered, 10.7% of non-Hispanic Black people, 10.4% of non-Hispanic Asian people, and 12.1% of Hispanic people. These percentages are within the nonregistered population for each group and should not be interpreted as the percentage of the entire CVAP missing a deadline. Census Bureau, 2024.
Together, the 2024 figures separate several parts of participation that are often combined under the word turnout: the racial composition of citizens eligible to vote, the composition of registered citizens, the composition of voters, voting method, and self-reported reasons for nonparticipation. Keeping those populations and measurement periods distinct is essential when describing racial voting disparities.