Almost half of the world's population will vote in a national election this year. These are 9 elections to watch.

This year more than 40% of the world's population is expected to vote.Getty Images

• More than 40% of the world's population is expected to vote this year in more than 50 national elections.
• Some look to be tight races and will have massive impacts on global affairs.

More people will be voting in 2024 than ever before. More than 40% of the world's population —about 2.8 billion people — is expected to vote in more than 50 national elections this year.

Voters will face diverse political landscapes with varying degrees of electoral choice. Some countries going to the polls are established democracies, some are partly democratic, and some are authoritarian regimes with little real choice.

Some elections, like in the US, Mexico, and Taiwan, are poised to have massive impacts on global affairs.

Bangladesh has already gone to the polls, with incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina securing a fourth term in an election that's credibility had been questioned.

These are some of the key races to watch.