Van Buren, Michigan — Presidential Election Results
Van Buren, Michigan has voted Republican in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2016. In 2024, it was 13.9 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 | 14,792 | 50.2% | 3.4 pts (996 votes) | 29,482 | — | 8.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 17,634 | 51.6% | 4.3 pts (1,483 votes) | 34,174 | -0.9 pts | 7.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 18,588 | 53.5% | 8.8 pts (3,054 votes) | 34,766 | +13.3 pts | 7.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 16,290 | 49.6% | 0.5 pts (149 votes) | 32,837 | -8.5 pts | 9.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 17,890 | 53.8% | 13.9 pts (4,632 votes) | 33,274 | -15.3 pts | 14.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 21,591 | 55.3% | 12.3 pts (4,788 votes) | 39,066 | +2.4 pts | 15.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 23,407 | 56.9% | 15.1 pts (6,232 votes) | 41,169 | -2.9 pts | 13.9 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 | 76,242 | 38.7% of population |
| 2004 | 77,241 | 44.2% of population |
| 2008 | 76,501 | 45.4% of population |
| 2012 | 75,298 | 43.6% of population |
| 2016 | 75,267 | 44.2% of population |
| 2020 | 75,566 | 51.7% of population |
| 2024 | 76,129 | 54.1% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Van Buren shifted 11.9 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
Van Buren has matched the national popular winner in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections (86%), 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 Van Buren voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Van Buren 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 Van Buren?
Van Buren's closest recorded margin was in 2012, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 0.5 points (149 votes) out of 32,837 total votes cast.
Has Van Buren ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Van Buren changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2016, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Van Buren?
The widest margin on record for Van Buren was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 15.4 points.
How many votes were cast in Van Buren relative to its population?
In 2024, 41,169 votes were recorded in Van Buren against a total population of 76,129 (54.1% 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 Van Buren a presidential bellwether county?
Van Buren has matched the national popular winner in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections (86%), and Michigan's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%).