Butte, California — Presidential Election Results
Butte, California has voted Republican in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2024. In 2024, it was 24.0 pts more Rep. than California overall.
Jump to year: 2000 · 2004 · 2008 · 2012 · 2016 · 2020 · 2024
Full Election History, 2000–2024
| Year | Winner | Party | Votes | Vote Share | Margin | Total Votes Cast | Swing | Vs. California |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 45,584 | 54.4% | 17.0 pts (14,246 votes) | 83,721 | — | 30.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 51,662 | 54.0% | 9.6 pts (9,214 votes) | 95,735 | +8.7 pts | 19.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 49,013 | 49.8% | 2.3 pts (2,307 votes) | 98,325 | +12.2 pts | 22.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 44,479 | 49.0% | 2.0 pts (1,810 votes) | 90,752 | -4.5 pts | 25.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 45,144 | 47.2% | 3.7 pts (3,577 votes) | 95,564 | -2.0 pts | 36.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 50,426 | 49.4% | 1.7 pts (1,696 votes) | 102,066 | +5.8 pts | 28.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 47,179 | 49.9% | 3.1 pts (2,951 votes) | 94,556 | -4.9 pts | 24.0 pts more Rep. |
Population Context
Total Census Bureau population estimate for the county that year, and recorded votes as a share of that total population. This is a population-based figure, not a turnout rate against eligible or registered voters, which this site does not calculate.
| Year | County Population | Votes Cast (% of Population) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 203,807 | 41.1% of population |
| 2004 | 213,065 | 44.9% of population |
| 2008 | 219,034 | 44.9% of population |
| 2012 | 220,869 | 41.1% of population |
| 2016 | 226,231 | 42.2% of population |
| 2020 | 210,222 | 48.6% of population |
| 2024 | 208,334 | 45.4% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Butte shifted 15.3 points toward the Democratic candidate, based on recorded county returns. This reflects the vote totals in this dataset only; no claim is made here about the causes of that shift.
Margin Over Time
Democratic candidate's margin (percentage points, two-party vote share). Positive values favor the Democratic candidate; negative values favor the Republican candidate.
Bellwether Status
Butte has matched the national popular winner in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections (86%), and California's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other California Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Butte voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Butte has voted Democratic in 2 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 5 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Butte?
Butte's closest recorded margin was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 1.7 points (1,696 votes) out of 102,066 total votes cast.
Has Butte ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Butte changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2012, 2020, 2024, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Butte?
The widest margin on record for Butte was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 18.5 points.
How many votes were cast in Butte relative to its population?
In 2024, 94,556 votes were recorded in Butte against a total population of 208,334 (45.4% of the total population). This is a population-based figure, not a turnout rate against eligible or registered voters, which this site does not calculate.
Is Butte a presidential bellwether county?
Butte has matched the national popular winner in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections (86%), and California's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%).