SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Maurice Peters said tending to his plants is always a peaceful exercise for him.

As someone who didn’t vote in the November election, he said he couldn’t make peace with a decision on any presidential candidate — even as someone who in the past has helped register voters.

What You Need To Know

  • Roughly 1.7 million fewer Californians voted in this year's election compared to 2024

  • The year 2020 had an 80% turnout, while 2024 had 73%

  • Certain groups have underperformed compared to the number registered such as Latino and young voters

  • The year 2020 was historic due to the pandemic and people being locked down, which had a big influence on voting numbers experts said

“For Trump, it was the divisiveness," Peters said. "He didn't make me feel included.”

Peters also weighed in on Vice President Kamala Harris.

“I didn't see her as a mother for the village," Peters said. "I'm looking for a mother of the village because the mother sets the tone.”

Peters added that issues he felt are important to a stable country weren’t properly addressed.

“Rent control," he said. "Job security with lateral movement, especially union jobs. And the violence, the violence in inner-city communities.”

Peters isn’t alone.

California saw a steep drop-off in the number of ballots cast compared to the last presidential election.

Roughly 1.7 million fewer voters said political data analyst Paul Mitchell.

“We had about 80% voter turnout in 2020," Mitchell said. "And this election cycle, maybe it'll be 72%, 73%, by the time we're done. So that is a slipping of turnout from a rather historic high number in 2020.”

Mitchell said certain groups from the majority of ballots counted thus far have underperformed compared to the number registered.

“Latinos are underperforming their registration," he said. "They’re 28% of registered voters, and they're around 24% of the voters who turned in a ballot.”

Mitchell said the youth vote was also low, but that’s historically been the way.

Republicans also had a better showing than in 2020, while Democrat numbers slid.

But Mitchell said even with a lower turnout things need to be looked at in context, as 2020 was a historic time.

“You know, the presidential election, Black Lives Matter," Mitchell said. "All the focus, plus lockdown, really created a mix that wasn't going to be replicated in 2024.”

Mitchell said the next presidential election is unlikely again to match 2020’s historic turnout. He also weighed in on voting in the next election.

“I think a lot of it depends on this presidency," Peters said. "It depends on the quality of life that I live amongst.”