Worcester, Massachusetts — Presidential Election Results
Worcester, Massachusetts has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 15.7 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 | 173,769 | 56.0% | 19.2 pts (59,630 votes) | 310,148 | — | 8.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 192,142 | 56.4% | 14.1 pts (48,048 votes) | 340,636 | -6.4 pts | 11.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 202,107 | 55.6% | 13.8 pts (50,001 votes) | 363,590 | -0.2 pts | 12.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 198,244 | 53.7% | 9.4 pts (34,854 votes) | 369,112 | -4.5 pts | 13.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 198,778 | 51.8% | 10.7 pts (41,096 votes) | 383,705 | +1.9 pts | 17.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 248,773 | 57.2% | 17.7 pts (77,090 votes) | 434,921 | +6.8 pts | 15.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 225,680 | 53.6% | 10.0 pts (41,878 votes) | 420,841 | -8.1 pts | 15.7 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 | 752,512 | 41.2% of population |
| 2004 | 777,855 | 43.8% of population |
| 2008 | 790,847 | 46.0% of population |
| 2012 | 806,942 | 45.7% of population |
| 2016 | 820,320 | 46.8% of population |
| 2020 | 857,092 | 50.7% of population |
| 2024 | 881,248 | 47.8% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Worcester shifted 10.5 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
Worcester 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 Worcester voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Worcester 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 Worcester?
Worcester's closest recorded margin was in 2012, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 9.6 points (34,854 votes) out of 369,112 total votes cast.
Has Worcester ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Worcester has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Worcester?
The widest margin on record for Worcester was in 2000, when Al Gore (Democratic) won by 20.7 points.
How many votes were cast in Worcester relative to its population?
In 2024, 420,841 votes were recorded in Worcester against a total population of 881,248 (47.8% 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 Worcester a presidential bellwether county?
Worcester 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%).