Monterey, California — Presidential Election Results
Monterey, California has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 10.0 pts more Dem. 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 | 67,618 | 57.5% | 20.3 pts (23,857 votes) | 117,534 | — | 9.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 75,241 | 60.4% | 22.0 pts (27,403 votes) | 124,544 | +0.8 pts | 12.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 88,453 | 68.2% | 38.3 pts (49,656 votes) | 129,783 | +16.8 pts | 14.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 82,920 | 67.1% | 36.9 pts (45,530 votes) | 123,518 | -1.2 pts | 14.1 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 89,088 | 66.8% | 40.6 pts (54,193 votes) | 133,408 | +5.9 pts | 11.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 113,953 | 69.5% | 41.3 pts (67,654 votes) | 163,923 | -1.5 pts | 12.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 93,060 | 63.4% | 29.9 pts (43,834 votes) | 146,718 | -11.4 pts | 10.0 pts more Dem. |
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 | 402,990 | 29.2% of population |
| 2004 | 408,731 | 30.5% of population |
| 2008 | 406,022 | 32.0% of population |
| 2012 | 424,788 | 29.1% of population |
| 2016 | 433,953 | 30.7% of population |
| 2020 | 440,506 | 37.2% of population |
| 2024 | 436,251 | 33.6% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Monterey shifted 9.4 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
Monterey has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and California's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other California Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Monterey voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Monterey has voted Democratic in 7 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 0 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Monterey?
Monterey's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when Al Gore (Democratic) won by 21.4 points (23,857 votes) out of 117,534 total votes cast.
Has Monterey ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Monterey has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Monterey?
The widest margin on record for Monterey was in 2016, when Hillary Clinton (Democratic) won by 43.7 points.
How many votes were cast in Monterey relative to its population?
In 2024, 146,718 votes were recorded in Monterey against a total population of 436,251 (33.6% 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 Monterey a presidential bellwether county?
Monterey has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and California's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%).