Orange, California — Presidential Election Results
Orange, California has voted Republican in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2016. In 2024, it was 18.1 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 | 541,299 | 55.8% | 15.4 pts (149,480 votes) | 970,905 | — | 28.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 641,832 | 59.8% | 20.7 pts (222,593 votes) | 1,073,296 | -5.0 pts | 31.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 579,064 | 50.2% | 2.6 pts (29,506 votes) | 1,153,687 | +18.4 pts | 27.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 582,332 | 51.9% | 6.2 pts (69,892 votes) | 1,122,664 | -3.8 pts | 30.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 609,961 | 50.9% | 8.6 pts (102,813 votes) | 1,197,521 | +15.6 pts | 23.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 814,009 | 53.5% | 9.0 pts (137,511 votes) | 1,522,113 | +0.0 pts | 20.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 691,731 | 49.7% | 2.7 pts (36,916 votes) | 1,390,965 | -6.5 pts | 18.1 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 | 2,854,513 | 34.0% of population |
| 2004 | 2,941,711 | 36.5% of population |
| 2008 | 2,957,593 | 39.0% of population |
| 2012 | 3,078,068 | 36.5% of population |
| 2016 | 3,164,986 | 37.8% of population |
| 2020 | 3,186,261 | 47.8% of population |
| 2024 | 3,170,435 | 43.9% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Orange shifted 18.8 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
Orange has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and California's own statewide winner in 3 of 7 (43%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other California Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Orange voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Orange has voted Democratic in 3 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 4 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Orange?
Orange's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 2.6 points (29,506 votes) out of 1,153,687 total votes cast.
Has Orange ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Orange changed which party won the county in: 2016, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Orange?
The widest margin on record for Orange was in 2004, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 21.0 points.
How many votes were cast in Orange relative to its population?
In 2024, 1,390,965 votes were recorded in Orange against a total population of 3,170,435 (43.9% 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 Orange a presidential bellwether county?
Orange has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and California's own statewide winner in 3 of 7 (43%).