Record-breaking independent voter turnout shakes up 2024 presidential race
Exit polls show independent voters matching Republican numbers in the 2024 election - a first-time event since polling began. Independent support shifted notably between **Harris** and **Trump**
The 2024 US presidential election saw a ground-breaking shift in voter make-up‚ with self-declared independents showing unprecedented turn-out numbers
In a never-before-seen voting pattern (since Edisonʼs polling began in 04) independents matched Republicans at 34% of total voters while Democrats trailed at 32%. This marks an eye-catching rise from just 4 years ago when independent numbers sat at just 26%
The voting preferences showed some note-worthy patterns: Vice President Kamala Harris got backing from half of independent voters while former President Donald Trump picked up 45% - which means a better showing for him compared to last time. The 5-point gap between candidates shows how crucial these swing-voters are becoming; their numbers have grown by 8 points since the previous election
- Independent voters: 34%
- Republican voters: 34%
- Democratic voters: 32%
This historic turn-out pattern - tracked through Edison Researchʼs exit polling data - points to a re-shaped electoral landscape where neither major party holds the biggest share of voters anymore
