Benzie, Michigan — Presidential Election Results
Benzie, Michigan has voted Republican in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2012. In 2024, it was 7.4 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 | George W. Bush | Republican | 4,172 | 51.7% | 7.8 pts (626 votes) | 8,072 | — | 13.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 5,284 | 54.0% | 9.2 pts (901 votes) | 9,778 | -1.2 pts | 12.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 5,451 | 52.9% | 7.4 pts (764 votes) | 10,309 | +16.9 pts | 9.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 5,075 | 51.3% | 3.9 pts (390 votes) | 9,901 | -11.5 pts | 13.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 5,539 | 54.2% | 14.0 pts (1,431 votes) | 10,228 | -10.8 pts | 14.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 6,601 | 53.8% | 9.1 pts (1,121 votes) | 12,262 | +5.6 pts | 12.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 6,895 | 53.7% | 8.7 pts (1,115 votes) | 12,846 | +0.5 pts | 7.4 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 | 16,090 | 50.2% of population |
| 2004 | 17,420 | 56.1% of population |
| 2008 | 17,733 | 58.1% of population |
| 2012 | 17,328 | 57.1% of population |
| 2016 | 17,534 | 58.3% of population |
| 2020 | 17,993 | 68.1% of population |
| 2024 | 18,520 | 69.4% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Benzie shifted 0.7 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
Benzie has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Michigan's own statewide winner in 3 of 7 (43%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Michigan Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Benzie voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Benzie has voted Democratic in 1 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 6 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Benzie?
Benzie's closest recorded margin was in 2012, when Mitt Romney (Republican) won by 4.0 points (390 votes) out of 9,901 total votes cast.
Has Benzie ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Benzie changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2012, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Benzie?
The widest margin on record for Benzie was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 14.8 points.
How many votes were cast in Benzie relative to its population?
In 2024, 12,846 votes were recorded in Benzie against a total population of 18,520 (69.4% 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 Benzie a presidential bellwether county?
Benzie has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Michigan's own statewide winner in 3 of 7 (43%).