“America has 133 million registered voters,” but “159 million votes” were cast in the 2020 presidential election.
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Voters wait in line to fill out a ballot on the last day of early absentee voting before the general election at the Northwest Activities Center in Detroit, Monday, Nov. 2, 2020. (AP)
No, there weren’t more votes than registered voters in the 2020 election
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Experts say as many as 215 million voters were registered for the 2020 election.
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That far outnumbers the 159 million ballots cast.
An image widely shared on Facebook suggested that 26 million votes were fraudulently cast in the 2020 presidential election.
It’s wrong.
It grossly understates the number of registered voters.
The image depicts a classroom in which a white student asks a question and a Black teacher responds:
"America has 133 million registered voters. How could 159 million votes be cast?"
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"That’s not important. What’s important is that you’re a racist."
The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
The number of registered voters is difficult to pinpoint — each state manages its own voter rolls, and with different rules; and the numbers change as voters register, move to another state or die. Some states allow voters to register on Election Day.
But experts put the figure for the 2020 election at well above 200 million, or far more than the 159 million ballots that were cast.
Registered voters
David Becker, executive director and founder of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, told PolitiFact there were nearly 215 million registered voters in 2020.
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World Population Review estimated 213.8 million. That was based on counts done in each state, and those counts were done at different times during the year, ranging from March 1, 2020, to Nov. 4, 2020, the day after the election.
Estimates made by experts quoted by the Associated Press ranged from 195 million to 215 million.
Ballots cast and counted
According to the United States Election Project, which is run by University of Florida political science professor Michael McDonald, 159,690,457 ballots were counted in the November election, including 158,254,475 that contained votes for president.
The project is "the gold standard of turnout statistics," said Charles Stewart, founding director of the MIT Election Data Science Lab.
Another sign that the 133 million figure for registered voters is way off: In the 2016 election, according to the Florida project, 138,846,571 ballots were cast, including 136,753,936 for president.
We rate the statement False.
Our Sources
Facebook post, Feb. 26, 2021
USA Today, "Fact check: Over 159 million people voted in the US general election," Dec. 31, 2020
Snopes, "Does ‘Simple Math’ Show Biden Received More Votes Than Eligible Voters?", Dec. 31, 2020
PolitiFact, "Bogus analysis leads to ridiculous claim about Biden votes," Dec. 23, 2020
Email, David Becker, executive Director and founder, Center for Election Innovation and Research, March 1, 2021
Email, MIT Election Data Science Lab founding director Charles Stewart, March 1, 2021
Email, National Association of State Election Directors executive director Amy Cohen, March 1, 2021
United States Election Project, "2020 November General Election Turnout Rates," Dec. 7, 2020
United States Election Project, "2016 November General Election Turnout Rates," Sept. 5, 2018
Reuters, "Fact check: ‘133 million registered voters’ argument uses flawed logic," Jan. 1, 2021
WTHR.com, "VERIFY: Were there more votes cast in the 2020 election than registered voters?", Jan. 2, 2021
Associated Press, "Posts falsely claim there are only 133 million registered voters in the US," Jan 2, 2021
World Population Review, "Number Of Registered Voters by State 2021," accessed March 1, 2021
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No, there weren’t more votes than registered voters in the 2020 election
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