Politics articles
Discover up‑to‑date data on elections, voting, party affiliations, and the trends shaping the nation today.
How many executive orders has each president signed?
When a president takes office, they often sign executive orders soon after inauguration, sometimes on Inauguration Day itself. An executive order is a presidential action that directs federal agencies on how to operate. It carries the effect of law provided it aligns with constitutional powers. Executive orders can also amend or revoke prior orders. In addition to executive orders, other presidential actions can include memorandums, and proclamations. How many executive orders have recent presidents signed? Since 1969, the 10 most recent presidents who completed full terms signed an average of 269 executive orders. Two-term presidents averaged 328, while single-term presidents averaged 216. Jimmy Carter, a single-term president, signed the most executive orders per year, averaging 80. Barack Obama, who served two terms, signed the fewest per year: 35. President Trump has signed 227 executive orders so far in his second term: 225 in 2025, and two in January 2026.
How red or blue is your state?
In American political discourse, states are often labeled “red” for leaning towards Republican politics or “blue” for leaning Democratic. State political profiles are shaped by a host of factors — voting patterns in national elections, the party affiliations of governors and congresspeople, and state laws.Most states vote and act consistently along party lines, but some have less predictable political leanings. These states, which can “swing” to either major party in a presidential election, are sometimes called “swing states” or “purple” states.How have red and blue states voted in presidential elections?Voters in most states stick with presidential candidates from one party: In the 10 presidential elections held since 1988, 41 states stuck with candidates from the same party eight times or more. Twenty of them, along with Washington, DC, voted for the same party’s candidates in all 10 elections.
USAFacts’ top 10 articles of 2025
In 2025, Americans turned to USAFacts seeking information about the 2024 election, federal government employment and aid, immigration data, US debt ownership, government shutdowns, and crime statistics.Here are the 10 most-read articles of the year:10. How many voters have a party affiliation?Americans remained interested in the number of voters with a declared political affiliation long after the presidential election. Records from the 32 states and Washington, DC, that require party affiliation when registering to vote offer insight into voter alignment.As of August 2025, 45% of all registered voters had declared a party affiliation — 37.4 million registered as Republicans and 44.1 million as Democrats. Wyoming had the highest percentage of registered Republicans at 77%, while Washington, DC, had the highest percent of registered Democrats at 76%. Among all states, Maryland had the highest percentage of registered Democrats at 52%.
How many voters cast ballots early and by mail?
In the 2024 election, nearly 60% of voters cast their ballots early or by mail: 29.0% voted by mail, 30.7% voted early, and 39.6% went to the polls on Election Day. That’s up from about 40% in 2018 and 50% in 2022 but lower than 2020, when 69% voted early or by mail as states expanded early in-person and mail-in options in response to COVID-19.
How many voters have a party affiliation?
As of August 2025, 189.5 million Americans are registered to vote. That’s almost eight in 10 Americans who are 18 or older.Forty-five percent of registered voters declared a party affiliation on their registration. And some states have comparatively high percentages of one affiliation or another.How many registered voters are in each state?Among states reporting 2025 voter registration data, California has the most registered voters, 22.9 million, followed by Texas (18.3 million) and Florida (13.5 million). These states also rank highest in overall populations.
How does voter turnout in the US differ by state, age and race?
In the 2024 presidential election, 73.6% of eligible Americans were registered to vote, and 65.3% of them did. Most likely to cast ballots? Older and white voters.How many Americans turn out to vote?Voter turnout is consistently highest in presidential election years.So far this century, 47.8% of voting-age US citizens turned out for the average midterm election, compared to 63.8% for the average presidential elections.
How many Americans voted in 2024?
According to the Census Bureau, 65.3% of US citizens voted in the 2024 election, the third-highest turnout in the past 34 years. Turnout increased by 13.1 percentage points since the most recent mid-term elections in 2022, but decreased by 1.5 percentage points since the 2020 presidential election.
What are the current swing states, and how have they changed over time?
Swing states, also known as battleground states, are states that could “swing” to either Democratic or Republican presidential candidates depending on the election. Because of their potential to go either "blue" or "red", political parties often spend much of their time and campaign resources on winning these states.While there is no universal definition of a swing state, they typically have small vote margins and vote for candidates from both major political parties over time. In the last nine elections, 20 states have “swung” from one party to the other at least twice. And 26 states were won by less than three points in at least one presidential election. What are the current swing states?Six states that voted for Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 swung to Republican Donald Trump in 2024. These states were Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. All but Nevada also swung from Republican to Democratic in 2020.
Can people with felony convictions vote?
In the US, almost all people with felony convictions lose their voting rights for a certain period.States set rules about how a felony conviction affects a resident’s ability to vote. Most states automatically restore voting rights either after release from prison or after probation or parole. Some states automatically restore voting rights under specific circumstances, depending on the nature of the crime or an individual’s criminal history. Meanwhile, two states, plus Washington, DC, never revoke the voting rights of individuals convicted of a felony.At the end of 2021, more than 1.2 million people were incarcerated in state or federal prisons, according to the Department of Justice.
Reapportionment and redistricting after the 2020 census: Explained
The Census Bureau made the official 2020 state population numbers public on April 26. With that release came reapportionment, which uses a formula to redistribute each state's share of the 435 House of Representative seats starting in the 2022 midterm election. That formula takes state population into account. The changes in apportionment will have a political effect, notably in the Electoral College, where states are allotted electoral votes based on the number of members in Congress.State redistricting comes next. By September 30, the Census Bureau will have provided each state with more granular population data separated into geographies like counties, cities, American Indian areas, census blocks, and voting districts. Any state allotted more than one representative will have to draw new maps splitting their states into geographic areas with equal populations. Each state's process and rules are different, with some of the maps drawn entirely in the legislature and others developed by independent commissions.Which states gained and lost seatsIn addition to Texas gaining two seats, five states gained one seat: Colorado, Florida, Oregon, Montana, and North Carolina. Seven states lost seats: California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
State of the Facts 2024: Americans’ views on data, election information, and AI
Impartial, trustworthy data is a crucial component of our mission at USAFacts, and we are committed to making government data accessible to the public. But how do Americans feel about data and facts?AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducts the State of the Facts poll in conjunction with USAFacts to better understand how Americans feel about facts and where data is sourced. This year’s findings show that adults find it hard to tell if information is true or not. They also rely on data and transparency to verify it.Do Americans trust information they get about the government?Although social media is among respondents’ most-used sources for getting information from the government (40% report using social media to get government data), Americans also cite low levels of trust in information on social platforms.They’re also less likely to trust businesses, and artificial intelligence (AI) for accurate data. They’re most likely to trust public TV or radio, national TV news networks, and local TV news.
How COVID-19 is changing primary voting—and the November election
The coronavirus outbreak has disrupted the 2020 election calendar, prompting states to shift their presidential primaries and other votes.These changes also include shifts away from the traditional visiting of polling places. Primary elections do not have the same rate of turnout as general elections, but this primary season may still provide insight into how Americans will vote in November’s election.Tuesday, April 28 should have hosted six primaries: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Instead, the only state that voted was Ohio. After cancelling its March 17 in-person primary, Ohio conducted its election almost entirely by mail. Gov. Mike DeWine initially proposed June 2 as a substitute, but the Ohio legislature moved the official primary date to April 28. Ballots postmarked by April 27 will be counted.New York state cancelled its presidential primary entirely. Over a dozen other states are weighing how to proceed with their primaries.How states shifted their primaries after the onset of COVID-19As of April 27, 15 states and territories have either delayed their primaries or switched to a vote-by-mail system with extended deadlines.
Who is Gen Z? Key insights in 4 charts
Gen Z is the generation born in the 15-year span from 1997 to 2012. In 2024, they will turn between 12 and 27 years old. This is the newest generation to gain influence in the world, from joining the workforce to being old enough to vote. The oldest Gen Zers may have already voted in 2020 and possibly the 2016 elections. What does the data tell us about Gen Z?How does the racial makeup of Gen Z compare to previous generations?Gen Z is the most racially diverse generation in the US, aside from younger Gen Alpha. They are the last generation in which the majority identifies as non-Hispanic white (51%).A quarter of Gen Z (25%) identify as Hispanic, which is four percentage points more than millennials, and 3.9% identify as non-Hispanic multiracial, which is 1.7 percentage points more than millennials.
How does the government help non-English speakers vote?
About 8.4% of the US speaks English less than “very well,” according to the Census Bureau in 2022. For otherwise-eligible voters, a lack of English proficiency can present a challenge to participating in the electoral process.In 1975, Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act increased voting access for non-English speakers who had historically been excluded from the political process, with a focus on Spanish, Asian, Native American, and Alaskan Native language-speakers — but with particular requirements that mean that not every locality is required to comply.Thirty states are required to provide non-English voting materials in at least one locality. Of the 20 states not required to do so, Oregon and North Carolina had the highest proportions of residents who spoke English “less than very well” at 5.5% and 4.8%, respectively, and Washington, DC, had a rate of 5.1%. West Virginia (0.8%) and Montana (1.1%) had the lowest proportions of residents who spoke English “less than very well.”Who is covered by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act?Section 203 covers localities that meet two criteria:More than 10,000 or over 5% of voting-age citizens in the state, county, or municipality must be “members of a single language minority group” with limited English proficiency. When the 5% criterion is met, ballots and election information must be made available in the second language state-wide: if 5.8% of a state’s population are Spanish speakers with limited English proficiency, all elections in the state must support Spanish, even in individual counties and cities that don’t meet the 5% threshold. The statewide coverage is only triggered by the 5% criteria; the 10,000-person threshold only mandates local second-language support.The language minority must have depressed literacy rates. A “depressed literacy rate” means that a percentage of the language minority’s voting-age citizens with a fifth-grade education is lower than the national share.
State of the Union: The words, the facts, the data
Here’s the data behind President Trump’s 2019 State of the Union address.We analyzed the words in his latest address to Congress, alongside every such speech since 1980. From immigration to war, here’s an analysis of each president’s words.
How many Americans voted in 2020?
Over two-thirds of eligible Americans voted in the 2020 presidential election, according to survey data from the Census Bureau. Turnout reached its highest level in three decades. The use of nontraditional voting methods, such as vote-by-mail and early voting, more than doubled as states adopted new policies amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Who’s funding the 2024 election?
The 2024 election is approaching and fundraising for political parties and individual candidates is ramping up. Between January 2023 and April 2024, election-related activities raised $8.6 billion.So far, the ActBlue and WinRed political action committees (PACs) have contributed the most to election fundraising.The 2024 election cycle runs between January 2023 and December 2024.For comparison, parties and candidates raised nearly $30 billion in the 2020 election cycle. What does fundraising look like so far this cycle, and who's spending the most?Which PACs are raising the most this election?Most election funding comes from PACs. PAC funds pay for political ads, direct mail, and other election-related communications but can’t go directly to candidates or campaigns themselves.As of May 2024, PACs had amassed $5.6 billion in fundraising — over 65% of funds — in the 2024 election cycle. The largest single fundraiser is ActBlue, a hybrid PAC. ActBlue has raised more than $1.1 billion, almost 80% more than its closest competitor, WinRed, with $623.1 million.ActBlue and WinRed are the two largest PACs in terms of financing so far in this election cycle. ActBlue has been the highest fundraising PAC in every election since 2014.Following them are the Biden Victory Fund PAC, with $280.9 million as of May 13, 2023, followed by the Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee at $194.9 million.
What are the demographics of Hispanic voters?
Hispanics are the largest ethnic minority group in the US, and greater attention has been placed on the Hispanic vote over the past few election cycles. In 2020, around 13% of citizens over 18 were Hispanic, and Hispanic voters cast around 11% of ballots, according to Census data.Hispanic voters are younger on average, turn out at lower rates, and are most concentrated among states near the American Southwest.Where are most Hispanic voters located?Hispanic Americans hold the highest shares of the voting-age citizen population in states along the US-Mexico border. New Mexico had the highest, with 36% of this demographic identifying as Hispanic, followed by California, Texas, and Arizona. In 2020, these four states, in addition to Nevada and Florida, had at least 20% of eligible voters identify as Hispanic.These states also had the greatest Hispanic vote share in 2020. In four states (New Mexico, California, Texas, and Arizona), more than 20% of votes cast in 2020 were by Hispanic citizens. Maine had the least, with less than 1% of votes cast by Hispanic voters.
How do voting laws differ by state?
For many of us, “voting” conjures an image of people going to a ballot box on Election Day, but the way voters submit ballots varies from state to state. Some have in-person voting, others have mail-in ballots. Some states allow early voting, and others have day-of voting only.The Constitution sets some election rules, including the date of the general election, restrictions on voting rights, and the prohibition of poll taxes. Congress can also pass laws to protect the right to vote, such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prevents discriminatory practices like race-based voting restrictions, or the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, which allows overseas military personnel and other American citizens living abroad to vote. (These are two of six congressional voting laws.)But since because elections are typically administered by counties, relevant laws are also made at the state and local level, or passed by ballot initiatives and referendums.What are the voter registration methods and timelines in each state?Most states provide at least two of three registration options: online registration, mail-in registration, and in-person registration. The requirements and timelines for each vary by state. One state, North Dakota, doesn’t require voter registration at all.Nineteen states and Washington, DC, allow same-day in-person registration. Two of the nineteen — Hawaii and Vermont — allow same-day online registration as well. Vermont is also the only state that accepts mail-in registrations received by or on Election Day. The other 31 states require would-be voters to register anywhere from one to 30+ days in advance.
What are ballot propositions and how many are on the ballot in 2022?
On Election Day, 133 ballot propositions will be voted on across 37 states and Washington, DC. Most of these propositions were put on the ballot by state legislators but some were a result of citizen-initiated petitions.Several states will vote on ballot propositions on similar topics. Five states will vote on statutes and amendments related to abortion access. Six states will vote on measures related to elections with four states voting to change the ballot proposition process itself.