Ventura, California — Presidential Election Results
Ventura, 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 5.2 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 | 136,173 | 48.2% | 1.0 pts (2,915 votes) | 282,692 | — | 13.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 160,314 | 51.2% | 3.7 pts (11,455 votes) | 312,909 | -2.6 pts | 13.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 187,601 | 55.2% | 12.3 pts (41,748 votes) | 339,800 | +16.2 pts | 12.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 170,929 | 52.3% | 7.0 pts (22,971 votes) | 326,974 | -5.3 pts | 16.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 194,402 | 55.3% | 17.6 pts (62,079 votes) | 351,726 | +11.8 pts | 13.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 251,388 | 59.5% | 21.1 pts (89,181 votes) | 422,825 | +2.6 pts | 8.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 217,424 | 56.1% | 15.1 pts (58,523 votes) | 387,595 | -6.0 pts | 5.2 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 | 756,506 | 37.4% of population |
| 2004 | 793,994 | 39.4% of population |
| 2008 | 806,353 | 42.1% of population |
| 2012 | 833,516 | 39.2% of population |
| 2016 | 847,323 | 41.5% of population |
| 2020 | 843,808 | 50.1% of population |
| 2024 | 835,427 | 46.4% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Ventura shifted 16.6 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
Ventura 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 Ventura voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Ventura 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 Ventura?
Ventura's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 1.1 points (2,915 votes) out of 282,692 total votes cast.
Has Ventura ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Ventura 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 Ventura?
The widest margin on record for Ventura was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 21.6 points.
How many votes were cast in Ventura relative to its population?
In 2024, 387,595 votes were recorded in Ventura against a total population of 835,427 (46.4% 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 Ventura a presidential bellwether county?
Ventura 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%).