Fact Check: How many votes did kamala get

How Many Votes Did Kamala Harris Get?

Introduction

The claim in question pertains to the number of votes received by Kamala Harris during the 2020 presidential election. As the running mate of Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket, Harris's vote count is often discussed in the context of the overall election results. This article will explore the available data regarding her vote tally and analyze the sources of this information.

What We Know

Kamala Harris was the vice-presidential candidate alongside Joe Biden in the 2020 United States presidential election, which took place on November 3, 2020. The Democratic ticket, which included Harris, received a total of 81,282,632 votes, translating to approximately 51.3% of the popular vote, while their opponents, Donald Trump and Mike Pence, garnered 74,223,234 votes (46.9%) 18.

It is important to note that while Harris is often associated with the total votes received by the Biden-Harris ticket, she did not run for president independently in this election. Therefore, her individual vote count is not typically separated from Biden's total. However, some sources may provide estimates or context regarding her influence on the ticket's overall performance.

Analysis

Source Evaluation

1. Federal Election Commission (FEC): The official results from the FEC provide a reliable and authoritative source for the total votes cast in the 2020 election 1. However, the FEC data does not specifically break down the votes received by Harris alone, as it aggregates votes for the entire Democratic ticket.

2. Wikipedia: The Wikipedia page on the 2020 presidential election summarizes the results effectively and cites various sources, making it a useful starting point for understanding the election's context 2. However, Wikipedia's open-editing nature means that information can vary in reliability, and it should be cross-referenced with primary sources.

3. Ballotpedia: This source offers a detailed breakdown of the election results, including the popular and electoral votes for each candidate 8. Ballotpedia is generally considered a reliable source for election information, as it is well-researched and frequently updated.

4. Council on Foreign Relations: This source provides a more recent analysis of the 2024 election, referencing Harris's performance in relation to Biden's 6. However, this information may not directly pertain to the original claim about her 2020 vote count.

5. NPR and Independent: These articles discuss Harris's performance in the context of the 2024 election and compare it to Biden's 2020 results 57. While they provide relevant context, they do not specifically address the vote count for Harris during the 2020 election.

Conflicts of Interest

Most of the sources cited are reputable and do not exhibit clear biases or conflicts of interest. However, it is essential to remain cautious about interpretations presented in opinion pieces or analyses that may reflect the authors' political leanings.

Methodology and Evidence

The primary challenge in determining the exact number of votes Harris received lies in the nature of the election itself. As a vice-presidential candidate, her vote count is inherently tied to Biden's total. The absence of a separate tally for Harris complicates the analysis, making it difficult to ascertain her individual impact on the vote without relying on estimates or assumptions.

Conclusion

Verdict: Unverified

The claim regarding the specific number of votes received by Kamala Harris in the 2020 presidential election remains unverified due to the lack of distinct data separating her vote count from that of Joe Biden. While the Democratic ticket received a total of 81,282,632 votes, there is no official breakdown that attributes a specific number of those votes to Harris alone.

The available evidence primarily aggregates votes for the entire ticket, making it challenging to ascertain Harris's individual influence on the vote. Furthermore, while some sources provide context and estimates, they do not offer definitive figures. This uncertainty is compounded by the nature of the electoral system, where vice-presidential candidates do not typically have separate vote tallies.

Readers are encouraged to critically evaluate the information presented and consider the limitations of the available evidence when forming conclusions about political figures and their electoral performance.

Sources

1. Federal Election Commission. Official 2020 Presidential General Election Results. FEC.gov
2. Wikipedia. 2020 United States presidential election. Wikipedia
3. Wikipedia. Results of the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries. Wikipedia
4. Wikipedia. Kamala Harris 2020 presidential campaign. Wikipedia
5. NPR. Trump gets less than 50% in popular vote, but it’s tight. NPR
6. Council on Foreign Relations. The 2024 Election by the Numbers. CFR.org
7. Independent. Trump's win has been described as resounding. Independent
8. Ballotpedia. Presidential election, 2020. Ballotpedia
9. USA Today. How many people voted in the 2020 presidential election? USA Today
10. Ballotpedia. Presidential candidates, 2020. Ballotpedia