San Benito, California — Presidential Election Results
San Benito, California has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 7.9 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 | 9,131 | 54.3% | 12.6 pts (2,116 votes) | 16,831 | — | 0.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 9,851 | 52.6% | 6.2 pts (1,153 votes) | 18,725 | -6.9 pts | 3.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 11,917 | 60.5% | 22.8 pts (4,492 votes) | 19,705 | +17.0 pts | 1.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 11,276 | 59.2% | 20.7 pts (3,933 votes) | 19,044 | -2.1 pts | 2.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 12,521 | 57.1% | 21.3 pts (4,680 votes) | 21,924 | +1.9 pts | 9.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 17,628 | 61.1% | 24.4 pts (7,038 votes) | 28,830 | +2.0 pts | 4.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 15,179 | 54.9% | 12.6 pts (3,477 votes) | 27,649 | -12.0 pts | 7.9 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 | 53,781 | 31.3% of population |
| 2004 | 54,849 | 34.1% of population |
| 2008 | 54,267 | 36.3% of population |
| 2012 | 56,599 | 33.6% of population |
| 2016 | 59,225 | 37.0% of population |
| 2020 | 64,533 | 44.7% of population |
| 2024 | 69,159 | 40.0% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in San Benito shifted 0.2 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
San Benito 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 San Benito voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, San Benito 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 San Benito?
San Benito's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when John Kerry (Democratic) won by 6.2 points (1,153 votes) out of 18,725 total votes cast.
Has San Benito ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- San Benito has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in San Benito?
The widest margin on record for San Benito was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 24.9 points.
How many votes were cast in San Benito relative to its population?
In 2024, 27,649 votes were recorded in San Benito against a total population of 69,159 (40.0% 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 San Benito a presidential bellwether county?
San Benito 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%).