Penobscot, Maine — Presidential Election Results
Penobscot, Maine has voted Republican in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2016. In 2024, it was 17.7 pts more Rep. than Maine 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. Maine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 35,620 | 48.7% | 3.8 pts (2,752 votes) | 73,206 | — | 9.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 37,775 | 49.4% | 0.6 pts (436 votes) | 76,414 | +4.6 pts | 7.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 41,614 | 51.7% | 5.1 pts (4,119 votes) | 80,467 | +4.6 pts | 12.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 38,811 | 50.2% | 2.9 pts (2,264 votes) | 77,306 | -2.2 pts | 12.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 41,622 | 51.7% | 10.9 pts (8,784 votes) | 80,540 | -14.8 pts | 14.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 44,825 | 52.0% | 8.3 pts (7,112 votes) | 86,133 | +3.2 pts | 17.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 47,438 | 54.5% | 10.9 pts (9,493 votes) | 87,073 | -2.5 pts | 17.7 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 | 144,937 | 50.5% of population |
| 2004 | 148,814 | 51.3% of population |
| 2008 | 153,372 | 52.5% of population |
| 2012 | 153,347 | 50.4% of population |
| 2016 | 151,333 | 53.2% of population |
| 2020 | 152,179 | 56.6% of population |
| 2024 | 156,840 | 55.5% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Penobscot shifted 7.1 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
Penobscot has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Maine's own statewide winner in 3 of 7 (43%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Maine Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Penobscot voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Penobscot has voted Democratic in 3 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 4 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Penobscot?
Penobscot's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when John Kerry (Democratic) won by 0.6 points (436 votes) out of 76,414 total votes cast.
Has Penobscot ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Penobscot changed which party won the county in: 2004, 2016, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Penobscot?
The widest margin on record for Penobscot was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 11.8 points.
How many votes were cast in Penobscot relative to its population?
In 2024, 87,073 votes were recorded in Penobscot against a total population of 156,840 (55.5% 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 Penobscot a presidential bellwether county?
Penobscot has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Maine's own statewide winner in 3 of 7 (43%).