Essex, Massachusetts — Presidential Election Results
Essex, Massachusetts has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 5.2 pts more Rep. than Massachusetts 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. Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Al Gore | Democratic | 178,400 | 57.5% | 22.0 pts (68,390 votes) | 310,333 | — | 5.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 194,068 | 58.2% | 17.7 pts (58,954 votes) | 333,233 | -5.8 pts | 7.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 208,976 | 59.1% | 20.3 pts (71,787 votes) | 353,665 | +2.8 pts | 5.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 210,302 | 57.4% | 16.3 pts (59,822 votes) | 366,357 | -4.2 pts | 7.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 222,310 | 58.5% | 22.6 pts (85,994 votes) | 379,868 | +7.4 pts | 5.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 267,198 | 62.9% | 28.8 pts (122,361 votes) | 424,599 | +5.7 pts | 4.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 236,624 | 58.9% | 20.2 pts (81,288 votes) | 401,851 | -9.0 pts | 5.2 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 | 725,025 | 42.8% of population |
| 2004 | 729,783 | 45.7% of population |
| 2008 | 734,361 | 48.2% of population |
| 2012 | 757,338 | 48.4% of population |
| 2016 | 779,847 | 48.7% of population |
| 2020 | 807,781 | 52.6% of population |
| 2024 | 823,938 | 48.8% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Essex shifted 3.0 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
Essex has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Massachusetts's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Massachusetts Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Essex voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Essex 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 Essex?
Essex's closest recorded margin was in 2012, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 16.6 points (59,822 votes) out of 366,357 total votes cast.
Has Essex ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Essex has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Essex?
The widest margin on record for Essex was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 29.7 points.
How many votes were cast in Essex relative to its population?
In 2024, 401,851 votes were recorded in Essex against a total population of 823,938 (48.8% 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 Essex a presidential bellwether county?
Essex has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Massachusetts's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%).