Clare, Michigan — Presidential Election Results
Clare, 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 36.7 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 | 6,287 | 49.9% | 2.8 pts (350 votes) | 12,607 | — | 2.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 7,088 | 49.8% | 0.7 pts (104 votes) | 14,226 | -3.6 pts | 4.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 7,496 | 51.5% | 4.8 pts (703 votes) | 14,567 | +5.7 pts | 11.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 6,988 | 51.7% | 4.8 pts (650 votes) | 13,504 | -9.8 pts | 14.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 8,505 | 63.5% | 31.8 pts (4,256 votes) | 13,389 | -28.5 pts | 33.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 10,861 | 66.7% | 34.8 pts (5,662 votes) | 16,281 | -1.9 pts | 38.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 11,772 | 68.1% | 37.6 pts (6,499 votes) | 17,288 | -2.9 pts | 36.7 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 | 31,398 | 40.2% of population |
| 2004 | 31,821 | 44.7% of population |
| 2008 | 31,064 | 46.9% of population |
| 2012 | 30,796 | 43.8% of population |
| 2016 | 30,387 | 44.1% of population |
| 2020 | 30,843 | 52.8% of population |
| 2024 | 31,405 | 55.0% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Clare shifted 41.0 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
Clare 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 Clare voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Clare 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 Clare?
Clare's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 0.7 points (104 votes) out of 14,226 total votes cast.
Has Clare ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Clare 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 Clare?
The widest margin on record for Clare was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 38.1 points.
How many votes were cast in Clare relative to its population?
In 2024, 17,288 votes were recorded in Clare against a total population of 31,405 (55.0% 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 Clare a presidential bellwether county?
Clare 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%).