San Diego, California — Presidential Election Results
San Diego, California has voted Democratic in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2008. In 2024, it was 3.5 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 | 475,736 | 49.6% | 4.0 pts (38,070 votes) | 958,634 | — | 16.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 596,033 | 52.6% | 6.1 pts (69,596 votes) | 1,133,584 | -2.0 pts | 16.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 666,581 | 54.1% | 10.2 pts (125,549 votes) | 1,231,047 | +16.6 pts | 14.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 626,957 | 52.6% | 7.6 pts (90,231 votes) | 1,192,282 | -2.6 pts | 16.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 735,476 | 56.3% | 19.7 pts (257,710 votes) | 1,306,400 | +13.5 pts | 11.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 964,650 | 60.2% | 22.8 pts (364,556 votes) | 1,602,143 | +2.1 pts | 6.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 841,372 | 56.9% | 16.8 pts (248,102 votes) | 1,477,786 | -6.0 pts | 3.5 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 | 2,827,366 | 33.9% of population |
| 2004 | 2,930,007 | 38.7% of population |
| 2008 | 3,022,116 | 40.7% of population |
| 2012 | 3,174,335 | 37.6% of population |
| 2016 | 3,306,089 | 39.5% of population |
| 2020 | 3,301,182 | 48.5% of population |
| 2024 | 3,298,799 | 44.8% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in San Diego shifted 21.5 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
San Diego has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and California's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other California Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has San Diego voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, San Diego has voted Democratic in 5 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 2 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in San Diego?
San Diego's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 4.2 points (38,070 votes) out of 958,634 total votes cast.
Has San Diego ever flipped between parties?
Yes. San Diego changed which party won the county in: 2008, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in San Diego?
The widest margin on record for San Diego was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 23.3 points.
How many votes were cast in San Diego relative to its population?
In 2024, 1,477,786 votes were recorded in San Diego against a total population of 3,298,799 (44.8% 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 Diego a presidential bellwether county?
San Diego has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and California's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%).