Evidence of dynamic shifts in the American electorate evolved as the biggest story of the 2012 presidential election. The electoral power of women, African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans showed the political parties that these groups are considerable forces in American politics today and are likely to shape the future of elections. According to the U.S. Census, minority groups and women of color in particular generated record highs in voter turnout in 2012. African Americans increased their voter turnout rates more than any other group among the electorate, surpassing white voters for the first time. African-American women's high vote share largely accounted for voter turnout among African Americans. Latinos and Asian Americans also increased their voter turnout rates, while whites were the only group to experience a decrease in voter turnout. The historic turnout rates prompted many to scramble for explanations to account for these changes in the electorate.

Explanations surfaced to help account for these historic dynamics among each group. Some point to the growing size of the voting-age population among minority groups and particularly among Latinos. Others explain the high voter turnout among African Americans as a response to mobilizations against voter suppression tactics in urban areas reminiscent of historic attacks on the black vote. Women's strong voter turnout coupled with women's strong support for the Democratic candidate is explained in part by the volatile, ill-conceived comments from conservative politicians hostile toward women's issues overall and reproductive rights in particular. Regardless of whether these explanations fully account for these shifts, it is without question that this presidential election, even more than the historic election of 2008, produced the most diverse electorate in the nation's history. The 2012 election also signaled the long-term electoral power of voters beyond traditional white men voters, who have long determined the outcomes of presidential elections.