Most Americans are closely following election news, with many feeling fatigued

Americans are closely following news about the 2024 U.S. presidential election, with a majority expressing interest in the campaign and candidates. However, many are also experiencing fatigue over the extensive coverage of the election, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.

The survey, conducted in April 2024 with 8,709 U.S. adults, revealed that 58% of Americans are following news about the 2024 presidential candidates very or fairly closely. This percentage is slightly higher than in April 2020, indicating a growing interest in the election. Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are more likely than Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents to closely follow election news.

Despite the interest in the election, about 62% of Americans say they are worn out by the extensive coverage of the campaign and candidates. This fatigue is consistent with previous election years, with a similar percentage of Americans expressing weariness in 2016 and 2020. Interestingly, those who closely follow election news are less likely to feel worn out by the coverage compared to those who do not follow it closely.

The survey also found that Americans are more likely to come across political news incidentally rather than actively seeking it out. However, there are significant age differences in how Americans consume political news, with older adults more likely to actively seek out news compared to younger adults.

Overall, the survey highlights the complex relationship Americans have with election news, showing both a high level of interest in the 2024 presidential election and a sense of fatigue over the extensive coverage.