San Luis Obispo, California — Presidential Election Results
San Luis Obispo, 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 9.6 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 | 56,859 | 52.2% | 11.3 pts (12,333 votes) | 108,886 | — | 24.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 67,995 | 52.9% | 7.2 pts (9,253 votes) | 128,647 | +4.9 pts | 17.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 68,176 | 51.4% | 5.4 pts (7,121 votes) | 132,653 | +12.8 pts | 19.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 61,258 | 48.8% | 1.0 pts (1,291 votes) | 125,638 | -4.4 pts | 22.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 67,107 | 49.7% | 8.1 pts (10,943 votes) | 135,009 | +7.8 pts | 23.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 88,310 | 55.3% | 13.1 pts (20,874 votes) | 159,714 | +4.5 pts | 16.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 81,314 | 53.9% | 10.9 pts (16,382 votes) | 150,766 | -2.2 pts | 9.6 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 | 247,839 | 43.9% of population |
| 2004 | 256,842 | 50.1% of population |
| 2008 | 266,358 | 49.8% of population |
| 2012 | 274,160 | 45.8% of population |
| 2016 | 281,803 | 47.9% of population |
| 2020 | 281,924 | 56.7% of population |
| 2024 | 281,843 | 53.5% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in San Luis Obispo shifted 23.4 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
San Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, San Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo?
San Luis Obispo's closest recorded margin was in 2012, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 1.1 points (1,291 votes) out of 125,638 total votes cast.
Has San Luis Obispo ever flipped between parties?
Yes. San Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo?
The widest margin on record for San Luis Obispo was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 13.4 points.
How many votes were cast in San Luis Obispo relative to its population?
In 2024, 150,766 votes were recorded in San Luis Obispo against a total population of 281,843 (53.5% 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 Luis Obispo a presidential bellwether county?
San Luis Obispo 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%).