Highlands, Florida — Presidential Election Results
Highlands, Florida has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 27.8 pts more Rep. than Florida 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. Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 20,206 | 57.5% | 17.2 pts (6,039 votes) | 35,149 | — | 17.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 25,878 | 62.4% | 25.4 pts (10,531 votes) | 41,496 | -8.0 pts | 20.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 26,221 | 58.6% | 18.1 pts (8,086 votes) | 44,783 | +7.3 pts | 21.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 25,915 | 61.1% | 23.0 pts (9,767 votes) | 42,444 | -5.0 pts | 24.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 29,565 | 64.7% | 32.0 pts (14,628 votes) | 45,686 | -9.7 pts | 31.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 34,873 | 66.8% | 34.4 pts (17,935 votes) | 52,170 | -1.7 pts | 31.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 36,382 | 70.1% | 40.8 pts (21,155 votes) | 51,905 | -6.4 pts | 27.8 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 | 87,417 | 40.2% of population |
| 2004 | 93,079 | 44.6% of population |
| 2008 | 99,568 | 45.0% of population |
| 2012 | 98,222 | 43.2% of population |
| 2016 | 102,041 | 44.8% of population |
| 2020 | 101,340 | 51.5% of population |
| 2024 | 109,778 | 47.3% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Highlands shifted 23.4 points toward the Republican 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
Highlands has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Florida's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Florida Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Highlands voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Highlands has voted Democratic in 0 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 7 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Highlands?
Highlands's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 17.6 points (6,039 votes) out of 35,149 total votes cast.
Has Highlands ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Highlands has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Highlands?
The widest margin on record for Highlands was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 41.0 points.
How many votes were cast in Highlands relative to its population?
In 2024, 51,905 votes were recorded in Highlands against a total population of 109,778 (47.3% 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 Highlands a presidential bellwether county?
Highlands has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Florida's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%).