Ottawa, Michigan — Presidential Election Results
Ottawa, Michigan has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 19.3 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 | 78,703 | 71.2% | 44.4 pts (49,103 votes) | 110,599 | — | 50.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 92,048 | 71.6% | 43.9 pts (56,496 votes) | 128,643 | +1.1 pts | 47.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 83,330 | 61.2% | 23.9 pts (32,502 votes) | 136,268 | +20.0 pts | 41.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 88,166 | 66.6% | 34.3 pts (45,429 votes) | 132,312 | -10.5 pts | 44.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 88,467 | 62.0% | 30.5 pts (43,494 votes) | 142,734 | +2.1 pts | 32.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 100,913 | 59.8% | 21.5 pts (36,208 votes) | 168,713 | +10.7 pts | 24.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 106,133 | 59.5% | 20.4 pts (36,480 votes) | 178,507 | +1.1 pts | 19.3 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 | 239,559 | 46.2% of population |
| 2004 | 253,048 | 50.8% of population |
| 2008 | 261,906 | 52.0% of population |
| 2012 | 270,873 | 48.8% of population |
| 2016 | 283,712 | 50.3% of population |
| 2020 | 296,899 | 56.8% of population |
| 2024 | 306,235 | 58.3% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Ottawa shifted 24.6 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
Ottawa 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 Ottawa voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Ottawa 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 Ottawa?
Ottawa's closest recorded margin was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 20.8 points (36,480 votes) out of 178,507 total votes cast.
Has Ottawa ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Ottawa has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Ottawa?
The widest margin on record for Ottawa was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 45.3 points.
How many votes were cast in Ottawa relative to its population?
In 2024, 178,507 votes were recorded in Ottawa against a total population of 306,235 (58.3% 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 Ottawa a presidential bellwether county?
Ottawa 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%).