Cook, Illinois — Presidential Election Results
Cook, Illinois has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 31.4 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 | 1,280,547 | 68.6% | 40.0 pts (746,005 votes) | 1,865,907 | — | 28.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 1,439,724 | 70.2% | 41.1 pts (842,319 votes) | 2,049,434 | +0.2 pts | 30.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 1,629,024 | 76.2% | 53.4 pts (1,141,288 votes) | 2,137,466 | +12.6 pts | 28.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 1,488,537 | 74.0% | 49.4 pts (992,995 votes) | 2,011,597 | -3.9 pts | 32.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 1,611,946 | 74.7% | 53.7 pts (1,158,659 votes) | 2,158,615 | +6.1 pts | 38.1 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 1,725,973 | 74.3% | 50.3 pts (1,167,704 votes) | 2,321,486 | -5.0 pts | 33.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 1,447,821 | 69.6% | 41.6 pts (863,969 votes) | 2,079,239 | -8.6 pts | 31.4 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 | 5,373,418 | 34.7% of population |
| 2004 | 5,252,021 | 39.0% of population |
| 2008 | 5,161,831 | 41.4% of population |
| 2012 | 5,239,351 | 38.4% of population |
| 2016 | 5,224,272 | 41.3% of population |
| 2020 | 5,267,072 | 44.1% of population |
| 2024 | 5,182,617 | 40.1% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Cook shifted 1.4 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
Cook 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 Cook voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Cook 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 Cook?
Cook's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when Al Gore (Democratic) won by 41.1 points (746,005 votes) out of 1,865,907 total votes cast.
Has Cook ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Cook has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Cook?
The widest margin on record for Cook was in 2016, when Hillary Clinton (Democratic) won by 56.1 points.
How many votes were cast in Cook relative to its population?
In 2024, 2,079,239 votes were recorded in Cook against a total population of 5,182,617 (40.1% 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 Cook a presidential bellwether county?
Cook 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%).