Suffolk, Massachusetts — Presidential Election Results
Suffolk, Massachusetts has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 28.0 pts more Dem. 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 | 154,888 | 71.4% | 50.9 pts (110,447 votes) | 217,000 | — | 25.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 182,592 | 75.9% | 53.1 pts (127,669 votes) | 240,645 | -1.7 pts | 28.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 207,127 | 76.9% | 55.7 pts (149,933 votes) | 269,221 | +3.0 pts | 30.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 223,896 | 77.4% | 56.7 pts (163,897 votes) | 289,098 | +1.0 pts | 34.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 245,751 | 79.6% | 63.3 pts (195,330 votes) | 308,741 | +8.2 pts | 36.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 270,522 | 80.2% | 62.8 pts (211,909 votes) | 337,240 | -1.6 pts | 30.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 222,280 | 74.3% | 52.1 pts (155,800 votes) | 299,193 | -10.4 pts | 28.0 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 | 692,745 | 31.3% of population |
| 2004 | 691,272 | 34.8% of population |
| 2008 | 702,201 | 38.3% of population |
| 2012 | 751,103 | 38.5% of population |
| 2016 | 792,576 | 39.0% of population |
| 2020 | 797,239 | 42.3% of population |
| 2024 | 793,144 | 37.7% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Suffolk shifted 1.5 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
Suffolk 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 Suffolk voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Suffolk 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 Suffolk?
Suffolk's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when John Kerry (Democratic) won by 53.8 points (127,669 votes) out of 240,645 total votes cast.
Has Suffolk ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Suffolk has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Suffolk?
The widest margin on record for Suffolk was in 2016, when Hillary Clinton (Democratic) won by 66.0 points.
How many votes were cast in Suffolk relative to its population?
In 2024, 299,193 votes were recorded in Suffolk against a total population of 793,144 (37.7% 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 Suffolk a presidential bellwether county?
Suffolk 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%).