Record breaking votes in global elections: What they reveal about democracy

Did you know that Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia now holds the record for the most votes ever received by a directly elected president in a democratic system? In 2024, he secured 96.2 million votes, solidifying his place in electoral history, according to the World Population Review.

Indonesia continues to dominate this list, with Joko Widodo’s (Jokowi) 2019 re-election coming in second. Jokowi garnered 85.6 million votes during his campaign for a second term, further demonstrating the nation’s robust voter participation in its democratic process.

The United States also features prominently. In 2020, Joe Biden made history by winning the presidency with 81.3 million votes, the highest number ever recorded in a U.S. election. This milestone coincided with the highest voter turnout in the country since 1900, reflecting the charged political environment and deep engagement of the American electorate.

In the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Donald Trump secured 77.2 million votes in a highly competitive race, maintaining his place among the top vote-earners globally.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin received 76.3 million votes in Russia in the 2024 election. However, international observers and analysts have raised concerns about the credibility of the election process, sparking debates about transparency in non-Western democracies.

Brazil also marked a significant moment in electoral history in 2022 when Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won a tightly contested runoff election against Jair Bolsonaro, earning 60.3 million votes. This victory highlighted Brazil's deep political divisions and the high stakes of its democratic process.

These record-breaking elections highlight key trends in global democracies. Nations like Indonesia and the United States demonstrate strong voter participation, with millions turning out to shape their countries' futures. Highly polarizing elections, such as those in the U.S. and Brazil, drive voter turnout as citizens engage deeply with the stark ideological choices before them. At the same time, election integrity issues, such as those raised in Russia, highlight the importance of transparency and trust in the democratic process.