Houghton, Michigan — Presidential Election Results
Houghton, Michigan has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 15.9 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 | 7,895 | 55.5% | 15.5 pts (2,207 votes) | 14,216 | — | 21.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 8,889 | 56.1% | 13.6 pts (2,158 votes) | 15,851 | +2.4 pts | 17.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 8,101 | 50.7% | 3.9 pts (625 votes) | 15,972 | +9.8 pts | 20.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 8,196 | 53.6% | 9.1 pts (1,395 votes) | 15,282 | -5.3 pts | 18.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 8,475 | 54.2% | 15.7 pts (2,457 votes) | 15,624 | -7.7 pts | 16.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 10,378 | 56.1% | 14.2 pts (2,628 votes) | 18,501 | +2.5 pts | 17.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 11,181 | 57.7% | 17.0 pts (3,300 votes) | 19,374 | -2.8 pts | 15.9 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 | 35,964 | 39.5% of population |
| 2004 | 36,154 | 43.8% of population |
| 2008 | 36,292 | 44.0% of population |
| 2012 | 36,746 | 41.6% of population |
| 2016 | 36,299 | 43.0% of population |
| 2020 | 37,256 | 49.7% of population |
| 2024 | 38,041 | 50.9% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Houghton shifted 1.1 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
Houghton has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Michigan's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Michigan Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Houghton voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Houghton has voted Democratic in 0 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 7 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Houghton?
Houghton's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 4.0 points (625 votes) out of 15,972 total votes cast.
Has Houghton ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Houghton has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Houghton?
The widest margin on record for Houghton was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 17.3 points.
How many votes were cast in Houghton relative to its population?
In 2024, 19,374 votes were recorded in Houghton against a total population of 38,041 (50.9% 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 Houghton a presidential bellwether county?
Houghton has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Michigan's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%).