Alpena, Michigan — Presidential Election Results
Alpena, Michigan has voted Republican in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2012. In 2024, it was 27.5 pts more Rep. than Michigan 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. Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Al Gore | Democratic | 7,053 | 49.9% | 2.0 pts (284 votes) | 14,132 | — | 3.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 7,665 | 50.4% | 1.7 pts (258 votes) | 15,211 | -3.8 pts | 5.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 7,705 | 51.1% | 3.8 pts (580 votes) | 15,085 | +5.6 pts | 12.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 7,298 | 52.1% | 5.3 pts (749 votes) | 14,014 | -9.3 pts | 15.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 9,090 | 61.8% | 28.7 pts (4,213 votes) | 14,698 | -24.8 pts | 29.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 10,686 | 63.0% | 27.6 pts (4,686 votes) | 16,969 | +2.1 pts | 30.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 10,967 | 63.7% | 28.6 pts (4,929 votes) | 17,213 | -0.9 pts | 27.5 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 | 31,269 | 45.2% of population |
| 2004 | 30,735 | 49.5% of population |
| 2008 | 30,119 | 50.1% of population |
| 2012 | 29,166 | 48.0% of population |
| 2016 | 28,663 | 51.3% of population |
| 2020 | 28,879 | 58.8% of population |
| 2024 | 28,903 | 59.6% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Alpena shifted 31.0 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
Alpena has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Michigan's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Michigan Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Alpena voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Alpena 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 Alpena?
Alpena's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 1.7 points (258 votes) out of 15,211 total votes cast.
Has Alpena ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Alpena changed which party won the county in: 2004, 2008, 2012, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Alpena?
The widest margin on record for Alpena was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 30.2 points.
How many votes were cast in Alpena relative to its population?
In 2024, 17,213 votes were recorded in Alpena against a total population of 28,903 (59.6% 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 Alpena a presidential bellwether county?
Alpena has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Michigan's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%).