Election Results 2020: A Numerical Overview Part 1: Presidential Elections

By Best In Moderation




The President of the United States is chosen by the Electoral College, who are a group of electors chosen per state to cast votes on behalf of the state. These people are in turn empowered by the results of the popular election in each individual state, with most electing to give all their votes to the plurality winner and some splitting their vote based on the total % voting for each candidate.


As you may imagine, this can cause quite a few discrepancies in voting power per person, difference in voting totals and EC vote totals, and other dynamics. I’ll provide a summary, a highlight list after that, followed by the data per state.


My hope is that you take this opportunity to examine for yourself how the system runs and whether that system needs adjustment.


Summary Presidential Election 2020

The total population of the USA is 328,239,523 as of November 7th 2020.


Out of those, 257,605,090 are over 18 (78.5%)

Out of those, 234,632,885 are eligible to vote (capable, non-felon, etc) (71.5% of total, 91% of over 18). 

155,505,139 elected to vote this year. (66.3% of eligible, 60.4% of over 18, and 47.4% of total).


Democrats won 306 Electoral College Votes (ECV), 56.88% 

Republicans won 232 ECVs, 43.12% 

Each ECV averages out to 610,111 US citizens.

Based on how many people voted, each ECV is worth on average 249,554 voters.

The average number of Democratic voters it took to get one ECV is 263,511

The average number of Republican voters it took to get one ECV is 233,651


74,223,251 people voted for Republican Candidate Donald Trump (47.73%)

81,281,888 people voted for Democratic Candidate Joseph Biden (52.27%)  

Trump won 25 states, and Biden won 26 states (25+DC)


The winner of the 2020 election, Joseph Biden, represents the will of:

34.64% of the eligible voters of the USA

24.76% of the population of the USA 


The EC system turned a 4.5% difference in the vote into a 13.8% difference, an increase of 203%.

Democrats needed 1.13 more voters per Electoral College Vote than Republicans.

The number of extra votes per ECV Democrats needed was 29,860, or 9,137,160 in total 

To equal the GOP ECV, Democrats needed 6,927,520 more votes than Republicans



Highlights Presidential Election 2020

The highest % of eligible voters over 18 is found in Montana, with 98.31%

The lowest % of eligible voters over 18 is found in California, with 84.34%


The highest % of eligible voters per population is found in Maine, with 80.74%

The lowest % of eligible voters per population is found in Delaware, with 55.5%


The highest amount of general votes needed for an ECV is in Florida, with 378,130

The lowest amount of general votes needed for an ECV is in Wyoming, with 89,017


The Republican’s highest ECV amount needed was 360,737, in Florida

The Republican’s lowest ECV amount needed was 63,317, in Alaska

The Democrat’s highest ECV amount needed was 374,583, in Nebraska

The Democrat’s lowest ECV amount needed was 76,872, in Rhode Island


Had Republicans gotten ECV based on % of the vote per state, they would have had 259 ECV, a gain of 26.

Had Democrats gotten ECV based on % of the vote per state, they would have had 279 ECV, a loss of 27.


The top three total votes cast were in California, Texas and Florida

The top three highest voting margins were in DC, Wyoming and West Virginia

The top three lowest voting margins were in Georgia, Arizona and Wisconsin


The average voter eligibility of all the states who voted for Trump is 94.68%

The average voter eligibility of all the states who voted for Biden is 92.29% 

The average voter eligibility per population of all the states who voted for Trump is 73.40%

The average voter eligibility per population of all the states who voted for Biden is 72.59% 


Lowest turnout was in DC, with 46.62%

Highest turnout was in Delaware, with 91.90%

Average turnout in states going to Trump was 63.14%

Average turnout in states going to Biden was 68.73%


Trump won his states with an average of 1,445,365 votes

Biden won his states with an average of 2,044,675 votes


The average margin of victory for Trump was 20.22%

The average margin of victory for Biden was 18.26%





Outlier Data Per State

Alabama



Alaska

  • Third lowest votes needed per ECV (114,576) 

  • Has the third highest discrepancy of Voting Populace to ECV power (149%)

  • Has the third highest discrepancy of ECV power to Total Votes Cast (152%)

  • Third most people under 18 years of age (24.66%)


Arizona

  • Second lowest margin of victory (0.31%)


Arkansas

  • Has a high negative discrepancy of Total Votes Cast to Voting Population (-18%)


California

  • Has the lowest discrepancy of Total Votes Cast to Voting Population (-0.5%)

  • Has the second lowest discrepancy of ECV power to Total Votes Cast (-1.5%)

  • If the ECV was more closely related to the state popular vote, 19 ECVs would transfer from Democrats to Republicans   

  • Third least % eligible people per population (65.71%)


Colorado

  • Third most votes needed per Electoral College Vote (352,107)


Connecticut

  • Ninth highest Democratic margin of victory (20.34%)


DC

  • Has the lowest turnout in the nation, with 46.62%

  • Has the second highest discrepancy of ECV power to Total Votes Cast (158%)

  • Has a high negative discrepancy of Total Votes Cast to Voting Population (-30%)

  • Has the highest margin of victory at 88.93% 

  • Received more than 1600% the amount of Democratic votes as Republican votes


Delaware

  • Has the highest turnout in the nation, with 91.90%

  • Has the highest discrepancy of Total Votes Cast to Voting Population (39%)

  • Most people under 18 years of age (40.33%)

  • Least % eligible people per population (55.53%)


Florida

  • Has a high negative discrepancy of Voting Population to ECV power (-19%)

  • Has a high negative discrepancy of ECV power to Total Votes Cast (-24%)

  • Has the second lowest discrepancy of ECV power to Total Votes Cast (-1.5%)

  • If the ECV was more closely related to the state popular vote, 14 ECVs would transfer from Republicans to Democrats  

  • Most votes needed per Electoral College Vote (378,130)


Georgia

  • Has the third lowest discrepancy of Total Votes Cast to Voting Population (0.9%)

  • Has the lowest margin of victory at 0.24%


Hawaii

  • Eighth highest discrepancy between Electoral College Power and Voter Turnout (105%)

  • Fourth lowest turnout in the nation at 55.86%


Idaho

  • Fifth highest margin of victory for Republicans at 31.75%


Illinois

  • Has the third lowest discrepancy of ECV power to Total Votes Cast (-2.3%)


Indiana

  • Based on statewide popular vote, would split their EC votes 6 / 5


Iowa

  • Based on statewide popular vote, would split their EC votes 3 / 3


Kansas

  • Despite having almost twice the margin of victory as Iowa, would also split their EC votes 3 / 3


Kentucky

  • Received almost twice the amount of votes for the Republican party than for the Democratic party


Louisiana

  • Based on statewide popular vote, would split their EC votes 5 / 3


Maine

  • Least amount of people under 18 years of age (17.83%)

  • Most % eligible people per population (80.74%)


Maryland

  • Has the third lowest discrepancy of Voting Populace to ECV power (1.11%)

  • Received more than 2 times the amount of Democratic votes as Republican votes


Massachusetts

  • Third highest Democratic margin of victory at 34.23%

  • Received more than 2 times the amount of Democratic votes as Republican votes


Michigan

  • Based on statewide popular vote, would split their EC votes 8 / 8

  • Small margin of victory (2.83%)

  • Fifth highest amount of votes needed for one ECV (340,868)


Minnesota

  • Has the second highest discrepancy of Total Votes Cast to Voting Population (17%)


Mississippi

  • Seventh lowest turnout, at (58.86%)

  • Only state that everyone spells with a song, which makes Massachusetts jealous


Missouri

  • Based on statewide popular vote, would split their EC votes 6 / 4

  • Low discrepancy scores all around


Montana

  • Though it has a slightly higher population than Rhode Island, it has one less ECV


Nebraska

  • Despite having a larger margin of victory than Montana by 3%, would split evenly their ECVs if it were based on statewide popular vote (2 / 2)


New Hampshire

  • Second least amount of people under 18 years of age (17.93%)

  • Most % eligible people per population (79.39%)


New Jersey

  • Has the third lowest discrepancy of Voting Populace to ECV power (0.873%)

New Mexico

  • High discrepancies overall, but specifically on ECV power versus Total Voter Turnout (60%, eleventh highest)


New York

  • Has the lowest discrepancy of ECV power to Total Votes Cast (-1.3%)

  • If the ECV was more closely related to the state popular vote, 11 ECVs would transfer from Democrats to Republicans 


North Carolina

  • Has a high negative discrepancy of ECV power to Total Votes Cast (-20%)

  • Second most votes needed per Electoral College Vote (362,871)


North Dakota

  • Has the third highest Republican margin of victory at 34.43%

  • Received more than 2 times the amount of Republican votes as Democratic votes


Ohio

  • Has the second lowest discrepancy of Total Votes Cast to Voting Population (-0.6%)

  • Has the second lowest discrepancy of ECV power to Total Votes Cast (-1.5%)

  • If the ECV was more closely related to the state popular vote, 8 ECVs would transfer from Republicans to Democrats  


Oklahoma

  • Has a high negative discrepancy of Total Votes Cast to Voting Population (-19%)

  • Received more than 2 times the amount of Republican votes as Democratic votes


Oregon

  • 8th highest votes needed for one ECV (328,404)


Pennsylvania

  • If the ECV was more closely related to the state popular vote, 10 ECVs would transfer from Democrats to Republicans 


Rhode Island

  • 6th highest discrepancy in Voting Populace to ECV power (118%)

  • 6th highest discrepancy in ECV power to Total Votes Cast (128%)

  • Least populated state to still have 4 ECV 


South Carolina

  • Has the lowest discrepancy of Voting Populace to ECV power (-0.03%)


South Dakota

  • 7th highest discrepancy in Voting Populace to ECV power (118%)

  • 7th highest discrepancy in ECV power to Total Votes Cast (128%)


Tennessee

  • Based on statewide popular vote, would split their EC votes 7 / 4


Texas

  • Has the second lowest discrepancy of ECV power to Total Votes Cast (-1.5%)

  • If the ECV was more closely related to the state popular vote, 18 ECVs would transfer from Republicans to Democrats  

  • Second least % eligible people per population (64.78%)


Utah

  • Second most people under 18 years of age (26.91%)


Vermont

  • Has the second highest discrepancy of Voting Populace to ECV power (162%)

  • Third least amount of people under 18 years of age (18.01%)

  • Most % eligible people per population (80.11%)

  • Received more than 2 times the amount of Democratic votes as Republican votes


Virginia

  • 6th highest votes needed for one ECV (336,615)


Washington

  • 7th highest votes needed for one ECV (329,522)


West Virginia

  • Has the third highest margin of victory at 39.60%

  • Received more than 2 times the amount of Republican votes as Democratic votes


Wisconsin

  • Has the second lowest discrepancy of Voting Populace to ECV power (-0.17%)

  • Has the third highest discrepancy of Total Votes Cast to Voting Population (12%)

  • Has the third lowest margin of victory at 0.64%


Wyoming

  • Has the highest discrepancy of Voting Populace to ECV power (203%)

  • Has the highest discrepancy of ECV power to Total Votes Cast (225%)

  • Has the second highest margin of victory at 44.96%

  • Received more than 3 times the amount of Republican votes as Democratic votes

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