Clay, Minnesota — Presidential Election Results
Clay, Minnesota has voted Democratic in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2020. In 2024, it was 3.9 pts more Rep. than Minnesota 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. Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 11,712 | 50.1% | 6.8 pts (1,584 votes) | 23,358 | — | 9.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 14,365 | 51.8% | 5.0 pts (1,376 votes) | 27,737 | +2.2 pts | 8.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 16,666 | 57.0% | 16.0 pts (4,688 votes) | 29,259 | +21.4 pts | 5.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 15,208 | 52.6% | 7.9 pts (2,288 votes) | 28,886 | -8.2 pts | 0.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 13,543 | 46.1% | 1.9 pts (572 votes) | 29,398 | -10.3 pts | 3.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 16,357 | 50.7% | 4.1 pts (1,314 votes) | 32,239 | +6.3 pts | 3.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 16,121 | 49.0% | 0.5 pts (156 votes) | 32,874 | -3.7 pts | 3.9 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 | 51,308 | 45.5% of population |
| 2004 | 53,251 | 52.1% of population |
| 2008 | 57,056 | 51.3% of population |
| 2012 | 60,194 | 48.0% of population |
| 2016 | 63,055 | 46.6% of population |
| 2020 | 65,359 | 49.3% of population |
| 2024 | 66,848 | 49.2% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Clay shifted 7.7 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
Clay has matched the national popular winner in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections (86%), and Minnesota's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Minnesota Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Clay voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Clay has voted Democratic in 4 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 3 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Clay?
Clay's closest recorded margin was in 2024, when Kamala D Harris (Democratic) won by 0.5 points (156 votes) out of 32,874 total votes cast.
Has Clay ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Clay changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2016, 2020, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Clay?
The widest margin on record for Clay was in 2008, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 16.4 points.
How many votes were cast in Clay relative to its population?
In 2024, 32,874 votes were recorded in Clay against a total population of 66,848 (49.2% 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 Clay a presidential bellwether county?
Clay has matched the national popular winner in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections (86%), and Minnesota's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%).