Champaign, Illinois — Presidential Election Results
Champaign, Illinois has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 13.3 pts more Dem. than Illinois 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. Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Al Gore | Democratic | 35,515 | 47.8% | 1.2 pts (870 votes) | 74,285 | — | 11.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 41,524 | 50.4% | 2.0 pts (1,628 votes) | 82,434 | +0.8 pts | 8.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 48,597 | 57.8% | 17.5 pts (14,726 votes) | 84,143 | +15.9 pts | 7.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 40,831 | 52.1% | 7.0 pts (5,519 votes) | 78,359 | -10.6 pts | 9.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 50,137 | 54.7% | 18.3 pts (16,769 votes) | 91,628 | +12.8 pts | 2.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 57,067 | 60.0% | 22.9 pts (21,782 votes) | 95,142 | +3.5 pts | 6.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 54,314 | 60.6% | 23.8 pts (21,349 votes) | 89,581 | +0.9 pts | 13.3 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 | 180,041 | 41.3% of population |
| 2004 | 188,617 | 43.7% of population |
| 2008 | 197,570 | 42.6% of population |
| 2012 | 204,630 | 38.3% of population |
| 2016 | 210,198 | 43.6% of population |
| 2020 | 206,252 | 46.1% of population |
| 2024 | 212,374 | 42.2% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Champaign shifted 23.2 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
Champaign has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Illinois's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Illinois Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Champaign voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Champaign 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 Champaign?
Champaign's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when Al Gore (Democratic) won by 1.2 points (870 votes) out of 74,285 total votes cast.
Has Champaign ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Champaign has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Champaign?
The widest margin on record for Champaign was in 2024, when Kamala D Harris (Democratic) won by 24.5 points.
How many votes were cast in Champaign relative to its population?
In 2024, 89,581 votes were recorded in Champaign against a total population of 212,374 (42.2% 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 Champaign a presidential bellwether county?
Champaign has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Illinois's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%).