Virginia voters cast their ballots on November 5, 2024, in the U.S. presidential election, selecting electors through the popular vote to represent them in the Electoral College. The state’s 13 electoral votes were awarded to Kamala Harris, who captured 51.82% of the vote.
Her margin of victory—5.76 percentage points—closely mirrored the 2016 outcome in the state, though it was slightly larger. This election marked a historic first: both major party candidates each received over 2 million votes in Virginia. Prior to Election Day, most news organizations had projected Virginia as a likely win for the Democratic nominee.
The state’s 13 electoral votes remained a key target, and reapportionment after the 2020 census did not alter that number. Harris’s victory in Virginia carried notable historical weight.
She became the first Democratic presidential candidate since 1924 to win the state while losing the nationwide popular vote—a span of exactly 100 years. The result also coincided with Virginia’s 2024 U.S. Senate election, where incumbent Tim Kaine—the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2016—won by a slightly larger margin of 9 percentage points. Kaine’s performance and Harris’s win together underscored the state’s complex political landscape.
Virginia voters have consistently shown a pattern of supporting Democratic candidates, and the 2024 election continued that trend. The fact that both major party candidates surpassed 2 million votes in the state highlighted its significance in the electoral process and the intensity of competition there.
The outcome has drawn attention to broader questions about the electoral system. Harris’s success in Virginia, despite losing the nationwide popular vote, has prompted scrutiny of how individual states can shape national results. Analysts are examining the electoral map to understand the implications of this split between state and national outcomes.
Looking ahead, Virginia’s 13 electoral votes will remain a crucial prize in future presidential contests. Candidates will need to address the concerns of the state’s voters, who will continue to be a key demographic.
Harris’s team now faces the challenge of navigating the complexities of an electoral process where state-level wins do not always align with the national popular vote. The 2024 election in Virginia is expected to have a lasting impact on American politics. As the political landscape evolves, the state’s voters will be closely watched for how they respond to changing dynamics. The election has reinforced Virginia’s role as a battleground where both parties must compete vigorously, and its voters will remain central to future campaign strategies.
