How Many Votes Did Biden Get in 2020 | We Analyzed the Data

Official 2020 Popular Vote Totals

In the 2020 United States presidential election, Joe Biden received a record-breaking number of votes. According to official data from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the American Presidency Project, Biden garnered a total of 81,268,773 popular votes. This represented 51.31% of the total votes cast in the election. His primary opponent, Donald Trump, received 74,216,728 votes, which accounted for 46.86% of the popular vote share.

The 2020 election was notable for having the highest voter turnout in over a century. The massive influx of ballots was partly driven by the expansion of mail-in voting and high levels of voter engagement across the country. As a result, both major candidates received more total votes than any previous presidential candidates in American history. Other candidates and write-ins accounted for approximately 2,890,933 votes, or about 1.79% of the total.

Historical Context of Vote Counts

To understand the scale of the 81.2 million votes Biden received, it is helpful to compare these figures with previous election cycles. Prior to 2020, the record for the most votes received by a presidential candidate was held by Barack Obama, who earned approximately 69.5 million votes in 2008. The jump to over 81 million votes in 2020 highlights a significant shift in American electoral participation and population growth.

Electoral College Results and Certification

While the popular vote reflects the total number of individual ballots cast nationwide, the presidency is determined by the Electoral College. Joe Biden secured 306 electoral votes, surpassing the 270 required to win the presidency. Donald Trump received 232 electoral votes. This margin of 306 to 232 was identical to the electoral gap in the 2016 election, though the results favored the opposite party.

The certification process for these votes took place throughout November and December of 2020. Key battleground states like Pennsylvania and Nevada certified their results in late November, formally awarding their electoral votes to Biden. Despite various legal challenges and attempts to subvert the results in several swing states, all 50 states and the District of Columbia eventually certified their vote counts. The final step occurred on January 6 and 7, 2021, when Congress officially certified the Electoral College count following a period of significant civil unrest at the Capitol.

State-Level Vote Breakdown

The following table illustrates the vote distribution in a selection of states during the 2020 general election, showcasing the percentage of support for the two main candidates and the total votes cast in those jurisdictions.

State	Total Votes	Biden Votes	Biden %	Trump Votes	Trump %
New Mexico	923,965	501,614	54.29%	401,894	43.50%
North Carolina	5,524,804	2,684,292	48.59%	2,758,775	49.93%
South Dakota	422,609	150,471	35.61%	261,043	61.77%
National Total	158,376,434	81,268,773	51.31%	74,216,728	46.86%

Demographics of the Biden Vote

Analysis from research organizations like Pew Research Center provides insight into the coalition of voters that contributed to Biden's 81.2 million votes. Biden performed particularly well among younger voters and those living in suburban areas. Among voters under the age of 30 who had not voted in the previous two elections, Biden led by a significant margin of 59% to 33%.

Furthermore, Biden saw an increase in support among white men compared to the 2016 Democratic ticket, while also maintaining strong support among non-white voters. Interestingly, "nonvoters"—those who were eligible but did not cast a ballot—also reportedly preferred Biden over Trump by a 15-point margin in post-election surveys. This suggests that the general sentiment in the country leaned toward the Democratic platform, even among those who did not participate in the formal process.

Suburban and Urban Shifts

A key factor in Biden's victory was his performance in suburban counties, which had historically leaned Republican or were highly competitive. In 2020, a larger percentage of Biden's voters identified as living in suburban areas compared to the Democratic base in 2016. This shift was crucial in flipping states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin back to the Democratic column.

Impact of Mail-In Ballots

The 2020 election took place during a global health crisis, which led to a massive surge in mail-in and early voting. Over 65 million people chose to vote by mail, which was nearly double the number from 2016. Because many states process mail-in ballots differently than in-person votes, the final tally of Biden's 81 million votes took several days to be fully reported in certain swing states.

This delay in reporting led to what some analysts called the "blue shift," where early in-person results favored Republicans, but subsequent counting of mail-in ballots—which were used more frequently by Democratic voters—shifted the totals toward Biden. This phenomenon was particularly visible in states like Pennsylvania and Georgia, where Biden eventually took the lead as the count progressed through the week following Election Day.

Voter Turnout and Engagement Trends

The total number of votes cast in 2020 reached approximately 158.4 million, representing about 66.7% of the voting-eligible population. This was the highest turnout rate for a federal election since 1900. The high engagement was driven by intense interest in the candidates, significant campaign spending, and simplified voting procedures in many states.

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Comparison of 2016 vs 2020

In 2016, the total number of votes cast was roughly 136.6 million. The jump to 158.4 million in 2020 represents an increase of nearly 22 million voters. Biden’s 81.2 million votes alone exceeded the total number of votes cast for any single candidate in history, while Trump’s 74.2 million votes also surpassed the previous record for a sitting president. This indicates that the 2020 election was not just a victory for one candidate, but a period of unprecedented civic participation across the entire political spectrum.

Final Verification of the Results

The final official results were published by the FEC in early 2021, confirming the 81,268,773 figure. While there were many claims of irregularities, exhaustive audits and recounts in states like Georgia, Arizona, and Wisconsin consistently reaffirmed the original counts. The 2020 election remains one of the most scrutinized and verified elections in modern history, ensuring that the record-breaking vote totals for Joe Biden were accurately recorded and certified according to state and federal laws.