Oakland, Michigan — Presidential Election Results
Oakland, Michigan has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 12.2 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 | Al Gore | Democratic | 281,201 | 49.3% | 1.2 pts (6,882 votes) | 570,265 | — | 4.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 319,387 | 49.8% | 0.4 pts (2,754 votes) | 641,977 | -0.8 pts | 3.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 372,566 | 56.5% | 14.5 pts (95,610 votes) | 659,068 | +14.3 pts | 2.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 349,002 | 53.6% | 8.1 pts (52,488 votes) | 651,607 | -6.6 pts | 1.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 343,070 | 51.6% | 8.1 pts (53,867 votes) | 664,614 | +0.4 pts | 8.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 434,148 | 56.4% | 14.0 pts (108,177 votes) | 770,351 | +5.7 pts | 11.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 419,519 | 54.3% | 10.6 pts (81,728 votes) | 772,145 | -3.4 pts | 12.2 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 | 1,196,165 | 47.7% of population |
| 2004 | 1,203,812 | 53.3% of population |
| 2008 | 1,199,545 | 54.9% of population |
| 2012 | 1,223,598 | 53.3% of population |
| 2016 | 1,251,027 | 53.1% of population |
| 2020 | 1,272,526 | 60.5% of population |
| 2024 | 1,296,888 | 59.5% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Oakland shifted 9.6 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
Oakland has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Michigan's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Michigan Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Oakland voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Oakland has voted Democratic in 7 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 0 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Oakland?
Oakland's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when John Kerry (Democratic) won by 0.4 points (2,754 votes) out of 641,977 total votes cast.
Has Oakland ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Oakland has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Oakland?
The widest margin on record for Oakland was in 2008, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 14.7 points.
How many votes were cast in Oakland relative to its population?
In 2024, 772,145 votes were recorded in Oakland against a total population of 1,296,888 (59.5% 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 Oakland a presidential bellwether county?
Oakland has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Michigan's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%).