Hillsborough, Florida — Presidential Election Results
Hillsborough, Florida has voted Democratic in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2024. In 2024, it was 10.1 pts more Dem. 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 | 180,760 | 50.2% | 3.1 pts (11,203 votes) | 360,295 | — | 3.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 245,576 | 53.0% | 6.8 pts (31,444 votes) | 463,222 | -3.6 pts | 1.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 272,963 | 53.2% | 7.1 pts (36,608 votes) | 513,312 | +14.0 pts | 4.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 286,467 | 52.8% | 6.7 pts (36,281 votes) | 542,102 | -0.4 pts | 5.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 307,896 | 51.5% | 6.9 pts (41,026 votes) | 597,660 | +0.4 pts | 8.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 376,367 | 52.9% | 6.9 pts (48,969 votes) | 712,063 | -0.2 pts | 10.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 342,017 | 50.9% | 3.1 pts (20,562 votes) | 671,993 | -10.1 pts | 10.1 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 | 1,003,435 | 35.9% of population |
| 2004 | 1,108,225 | 41.8% of population |
| 2008 | 1,196,773 | 42.9% of population |
| 2012 | 1,279,639 | 42.4% of population |
| 2016 | 1,396,693 | 42.8% of population |
| 2020 | 1,466,320 | 48.6% of population |
| 2024 | 1,581,426 | 42.5% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Hillsborough shifted 0.1 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
Hillsborough has matched the national popular winner in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections (86%), 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 Hillsborough voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Hillsborough has voted Democratic in 4 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 3 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Hillsborough?
Hillsborough's closest recorded margin was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 3.1 points (20,562 votes) out of 671,993 total votes cast.
Has Hillsborough ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Hillsborough changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2024, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Hillsborough?
The widest margin on record for Hillsborough was in 2008, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 7.2 points.
How many votes were cast in Hillsborough relative to its population?
In 2024, 671,993 votes were recorded in Hillsborough against a total population of 1,581,426 (42.5% 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 Hillsborough a presidential bellwether county?
Hillsborough has matched the national popular winner in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections (86%), and Florida's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%).