Charles, Maryland — Presidential Election Results
Charles, Maryland has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 12.1 pts more Dem. than Maryland 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. Maryland |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Al Gore | Democratic | 21,873 | 49.1% | 0.2 pts (105 votes) | 44,592 | — | 16.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 29,354 | 50.4% | 1.6 pts (912 votes) | 58,241 | +1.3 pts | 11.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 43,635 | 62.2% | 25.5 pts (17,903 votes) | 70,127 | +24.2 pts | 0.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 48,774 | 64.8% | 31.4 pts (23,596 votes) | 75,222 | +6.1 pts | 5.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 49,341 | 63.0% | 30.3 pts (23,727 votes) | 78,303 | -0.3 pts | 3.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 62,171 | 69.5% | 40.9 pts (36,592 votes) | 89,498 | +10.0 pts | 7.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 63,454 | 68.9% | 40.5 pts (37,309 votes) | 92,097 | -0.1 pts | 12.1 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 | 121,229 | 36.8% of population |
| 2004 | 135,601 | 43.0% of population |
| 2008 | 143,783 | 48.8% of population |
| 2012 | 150,668 | 49.9% of population |
| 2016 | 157,292 | 49.8% of population |
| 2020 | 166,692 | 53.7% of population |
| 2024 | 174,478 | 52.8% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Charles shifted 41.4 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
Charles has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Maryland's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Maryland Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Charles voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Charles 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 Charles?
Charles's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when Al Gore (Democratic) won by 0.2 points (105 votes) out of 44,592 total votes cast.
Has Charles ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Charles has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Charles?
The widest margin on record for Charles was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 41.7 points.
How many votes were cast in Charles relative to its population?
In 2024, 92,097 votes were recorded in Charles against a total population of 174,478 (52.8% 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 Charles a presidential bellwether county?
Charles has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Maryland's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%).