Casting mailed ballots remained popular among voters in last year's presidential election, even as President Donald Trump has tried to undercut the process through a wide-ranging executive order.
A report released Monday by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission also found a surge in early in-person voting and robust use of ballot drop boxes, which have been a target of conspiracy theorists since the 2020 election.
The findings, based on data collected at the local level and submitted by states, illustrate the sustained popularity of alternate voting methods even as they have come under attack in recent years from Republicans.
"Notwithstanding the rhetoric from some, our election process continues to reflect the expectations voters have about where, when and how to vote," said David Levine, a former county election official in Idaho who is now a senior fellow at the University of Maryland's Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement. "Once voters try voting before Election Day, they often continue to do so for future elections."
Overall, more than 158 million ballots were counted for the November 2024 presidential election, according to the report. Turnout was 3 percentage points lower than in 2020 but nearly 4 percentage points higher than during the 2016 presidential election.