Santa Clara, California — Presidential Election Results
Santa Clara, California has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 20.7 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 | 332,490 | 60.7% | 26.2 pts (143,740 votes) | 548,129 | — | 15.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 386,100 | 64.1% | 29.4 pts (177,006 votes) | 602,614 | +2.2 pts | 19.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 462,241 | 69.4% | 40.9 pts (272,202 votes) | 665,589 | +12.0 pts | 17.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 450,818 | 70.1% | 42.9 pts (275,975 votes) | 643,091 | +2.4 pts | 20.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 511,684 | 72.7% | 52.1 pts (366,858 votes) | 703,709 | +11.8 pts | 23.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 617,967 | 72.6% | 47.4 pts (403,355 votes) | 850,741 | -7.4 pts | 18.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 510,744 | 68.1% | 40.0 pts (299,820 votes) | 750,433 | -6.9 pts | 20.7 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 | 1,684,947 | 32.5% of population |
| 2004 | 1,663,167 | 36.2% of population |
| 2008 | 1,740,964 | 38.2% of population |
| 2012 | 1,837,853 | 35.0% of population |
| 2016 | 1,928,368 | 36.5% of population |
| 2020 | 1,924,802 | 44.2% of population |
| 2024 | 1,926,325 | 39.0% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Santa Clara shifted 14.0 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
Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara?
Santa Clara's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when Al Gore (Democratic) won by 27.6 points (143,740 votes) out of 548,129 total votes cast.
Has Santa Clara ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Santa Clara has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Santa Clara?
The widest margin on record for Santa Clara was in 2016, when Hillary Clinton (Democratic) won by 55.9 points.
How many votes were cast in Santa Clara relative to its population?
In 2024, 750,433 votes were recorded in Santa Clara against a total population of 1,926,325 (39.0% 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 Santa Clara a presidential bellwether county?
Santa Clara 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%).