Santa Cruz, California — Presidential Election Results
Santa Cruz, California has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 35.8 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 | 66,618 | 61.5% | 34.1 pts (36,991 votes) | 108,350 | — | 26.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 89,102 | 73.2% | 48.3 pts (58,748 votes) | 121,733 | +10.7 pts | 39.1 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 98,745 | 77.5% | 57.7 pts (73,501 votes) | 127,483 | +10.1 pts | 34.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 90,805 | 75.6% | 55.6 pts (66,758 votes) | 120,095 | -1.2 pts | 34.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 95,249 | 73.9% | 56.5 pts (72,811 votes) | 128,821 | +3.7 pts | 29.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 114,246 | 78.9% | 60.3 pts (87,309 votes) | 144,837 | -0.0 pts | 32.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 100,998 | 75.3% | 54.4 pts (73,020 votes) | 134,135 | -5.2 pts | 35.8 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 | 255,835 | 42.4% of population |
| 2004 | 252,356 | 48.2% of population |
| 2008 | 256,520 | 49.7% of population |
| 2012 | 266,340 | 45.1% of population |
| 2016 | 274,396 | 46.9% of population |
| 2020 | 271,768 | 53.3% of population |
| 2024 | 262,406 | 51.1% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Santa Cruz shifted 18.2 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 Cruz 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 Cruz voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Santa Cruz 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 Cruz?
Santa Cruz's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when Al Gore (Democratic) won by 38.4 points (36,991 votes) out of 108,350 total votes cast.
Has Santa Cruz ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Santa Cruz has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Santa Cruz?
The widest margin on record for Santa Cruz was in 2016, when Hillary Clinton (Democratic) won by 61.9 points.
How many votes were cast in Santa Cruz relative to its population?
In 2024, 134,135 votes were recorded in Santa Cruz against a total population of 262,406 (51.1% 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 Cruz a presidential bellwether county?
Santa Cruz 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%).