Frederick, Maryland — Presidential Election Results
Frederick, Maryland has voted Republican in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2020. In 2024, it was 20.5 pts more Rep. 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 | George W. Bush | Republican | 45,350 | 57.7% | 18.6 pts (14,625 votes) | 78,661 | — | 36.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 59,934 | 59.6% | 20.3 pts (20,431 votes) | 100,594 | -1.3 pts | 33.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 55,170 | 49.6% | 1.0 pts (1,157 votes) | 111,186 | +19.5 pts | 26.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 58,798 | 50.2% | 3.1 pts (3,652 votes) | 117,115 | -2.1 pts | 29.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 59,522 | 47.4% | 2.4 pts (3,000 votes) | 125,677 | +0.6 pts | 30.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 77,675 | 53.3% | 9.6 pts (13,993 votes) | 145,615 | +12.5 pts | 24.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 82,409 | 52.8% | 8.7 pts (13,656 votes) | 156,114 | -0.9 pts | 20.5 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 | 196,563 | 40.0% of population |
| 2004 | 217,776 | 46.2% of population |
| 2008 | 229,286 | 48.5% of population |
| 2012 | 239,645 | 48.9% of population |
| 2016 | 246,999 | 50.9% of population |
| 2020 | 272,787 | 53.4% of population |
| 2024 | 299,317 | 52.2% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Frederick shifted 28.3 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
Frederick has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Maryland's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Maryland Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Frederick voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Frederick has voted Democratic in 2 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 5 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Frederick?
Frederick's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 1.1 points (1,157 votes) out of 111,186 total votes cast.
Has Frederick ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Frederick changed which party won the county in: 2020, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Frederick?
The widest margin on record for Frederick was in 2004, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 20.5 points.
How many votes were cast in Frederick relative to its population?
In 2024, 156,114 votes were recorded in Frederick against a total population of 299,317 (52.2% 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 Frederick a presidential bellwether county?
Frederick has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Maryland's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%).