Imperial, California — Presidential Election Results
Imperial, California has voted Democratic in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2024. In 2024, it was 21.7 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 | Al Gore | Democratic | 15,489 | 53.5% | 10.2 pts (2,965 votes) | 28,937 | — | 1.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 13,955 | 53.9% | 9.0 pts (2,327 votes) | 25,902 | -1.5 pts | 1.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 24,162 | 62.2% | 26.2 pts (10,154 votes) | 38,820 | +17.5 pts | 2.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 25,136 | 65.2% | 32.0 pts (12,359 votes) | 38,565 | +6.0 pts | 8.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 32,667 | 67.9% | 41.5 pts (19,963 votes) | 48,091 | +11.4 pts | 11.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 34,678 | 61.1% | 24.4 pts (13,831 votes) | 56,743 | -19.1 pts | 4.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 26,546 | 49.1% | 0.9 pts (463 votes) | 54,025 | -25.8 pts | 21.7 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 | 142,410 | 20.3% of population |
| 2004 | 152,259 | 17.0% of population |
| 2008 | 167,917 | 23.1% of population |
| 2012 | 176,575 | 21.8% of population |
| 2016 | 180,179 | 26.7% of population |
| 2020 | 179,730 | 31.6% of population |
| 2024 | 181,724 | 29.7% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Imperial shifted 11.5 points toward the Republican 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
Imperial has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and California's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other California Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Imperial voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Imperial has voted Democratic in 6 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 1 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Imperial?
Imperial's closest recorded margin was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 0.9 points (463 votes) out of 54,025 total votes cast.
Has Imperial ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Imperial changed which party won the county in: 2024, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Imperial?
The widest margin on record for Imperial was in 2016, when Hillary Clinton (Democratic) won by 44.0 points.
How many votes were cast in Imperial relative to its population?
In 2024, 54,025 votes were recorded in Imperial against a total population of 181,724 (29.7% 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 Imperial a presidential bellwether county?
Imperial has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and California's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%).