Every presidential election feels like the most important yet. This one, though, may actually rise to the label. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump offer visions of the future for the US that couldn’t be more different. Their campaigns have diverged widely in tone, style, and substance. Maybe the only thing they have in common, in fact, is the extent to which they’ve been documented online.
But while the memes and shares have in many ways defined the 2024 US presidential election, there’s a whole world of moments that have occurred outside of the viral limelight. At WIRED, we took a step back to look at the last months in moments, exploring places, scenes, and people that don’t always make the feeds. Below, we’re offering a different picture of an America that’s often at odds, and seldom offline.
Supporters of former US president Donald Trump are seen through a photo cutout as they arrive for a campaign rally at Macomb Community College in Warren, Michigan, on November 1, 2024.Photograph: ROBERTO SCHMIDT/Getty Images
Attendees look on at a campaign rally in Houston for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris on October 25, 2024.Photograph: Annie Mulligan/AP Photo
Supporters cheer during a community rally with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on October 27, 2024, in Philadelphia.Photograph: Susan Walsh/AP Photo
Senator JD Vance of Ohio, the Republican vice presidential nominee, speaks at a campaign rally in Las Vegas on October 23, 2024.Photograph: John Locher/AP Photo
Attendees cheer during a campaign event with Vice President Kamala Harris at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, on November 3, 2024.Photograph: Sarah Rice/Getty Images
An employee works on embroidered campaign hats for Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota governor Tim Walz at Unionwear in Newark, New Jersey, on August 22, 2024.Photograph: ANGELA WEISS/Getty Images
A Trump supporter waits to enter the West Palm Convention Center for a campaign rally as the candidate celebrates his 78th birthday in West Palm Beach, Florida, on June 14, 2024.Photograph: GIORGIO VIERA/Getty Images
Forgiato Blow wears a necklace with a likeness of Donald Trump before Republican candidate speaks at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta on October 15, 2024.Photograph: Alex Brandon/Getty Images
US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris (R) and US actress Maya Rudolph participate in “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) live late-night sketch comedy show at NBC studios in New York City on November 2, 2024.
Photograph: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/Getty Images
You can follow all of WIRED’s 2024 presidential election coverage here.