Leelanau, Michigan — Presidential Election Results
Leelanau, Michigan has voted Republican in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2020. In 2024, it was 9.3 pts more Dem. 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 | 6,840 | 57.0% | 18.4 pts (2,205 votes) | 12,009 | — | 24.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 7,733 | 55.6% | 12.1 pts (1,685 votes) | 13,917 | +7.0 pts | 15.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 7,355 | 50.9% | 2.9 pts (417 votes) | 14,464 | +15.1 pts | 13.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 7,483 | 52.8% | 6.4 pts (907 votes) | 14,176 | -9.4 pts | 16.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 7,239 | 49.1% | 3.2 pts (465 votes) | 14,757 | +3.1 pts | 3.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 8,795 | 52.0% | 5.2 pts (879 votes) | 16,900 | +8.6 pts | 2.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 9,406 | 53.2% | 7.8 pts (1,371 votes) | 17,685 | +2.6 pts | 9.3 pts more Dem. |
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 | 21,257 | 56.5% of population |
| 2004 | 21,859 | 63.7% of population |
| 2008 | 21,731 | 66.6% of population |
| 2012 | 21,379 | 66.3% of population |
| 2016 | 21,507 | 68.6% of population |
| 2020 | 22,308 | 75.8% of population |
| 2024 | 22,871 | 77.3% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Leelanau shifted 27.1 points toward the Democratic 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
Leelanau 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 Leelanau voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Leelanau has voted Democratic in 3 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 4 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Leelanau?
Leelanau's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 2.9 points (417 votes) out of 14,464 total votes cast.
Has Leelanau ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Leelanau changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2012, 2020, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Leelanau?
The widest margin on record for Leelanau was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 19.2 points.
How many votes were cast in Leelanau relative to its population?
In 2024, 17,685 votes were recorded in Leelanau against a total population of 22,871 (77.3% 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 Leelanau a presidential bellwether county?
Leelanau 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%).