The 2024 US presidential election had been widely characterized as one of the most consequential political contests in recent US history. Although turnout was high for a presidential election – almost matching the levels of 2020 – it is estimated that close to 90 million Americans, roughly 36% of the eligible voting age population, did not vote. This number is greater than the number of people who voted for either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.

More than a month on from polling day, eligible US voters from across the country as well as other parts of the world got in touch with the Guardian to share why they did not vote.

Scores of people said they had not turned out as they felt their vote would not matter because of the electoral college system, since they lived in a safely blue or red state. This included a number of people who nonetheless had voted in the 2020 and 2016 elections.

While various previous Democratic voters said they had abstained this time due to the Harris campaign’s stance on Israel or for other policy reasons, a number of people in this camp said they would have voted for the vice-president had they lived in a swing state.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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    3 hours ago

    You’re right. I do blame people for “not falling in line” and letting a genocidal fascist dictator who made no secret of that gain control of a nation because they didn’t find the opposition “compelling.”

    And as far from not having learned, I think what you haven’t learned is that 2024 was the last real election in the U.S. in your lifetime.

    Harris lost. You got what you wanted. Be happy about it.

    • john89@lemmy.ca
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      3 hours ago

      Yeah, you’re delusional and incapable of arguing in good faith.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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        3 hours ago

        And yet I did not insult you.

        And if you think I’m delusional about what Trump is going to do, you’re in for a very rude awakening.

        • john89@lemmy.ca
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          3 hours ago

          Yeah. You’re too distracted by the other guy being the antichrist to focus on how democrats would rather have trump than a progressive in office.

          Until that culture changes, we shouldn’t expect our government to change.

          Clearly you’re doing your part in making sure things stay exactly the same, while somehow expecting different results.

          I think there’s a word for that, but I digress.

          • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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            56 minutes ago

            You’re right. I’m “too distracted” by the fascist dictatorship to play what if.

            What part should I be doing? Insulting people on the internet? What else are you doing?