Dakota, Minnesota — Presidential Election Results
Dakota, Minnesota has voted Democratic in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2008. In 2024, it was 8.8 pts more Dem. 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 | 87,250 | 47.9% | 1.0 pts (1,804 votes) | 182,249 | — | 3.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 108,959 | 50.5% | 2.0 pts (4,324 votes) | 215,846 | -1.0 pts | 5.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 116,778 | 51.8% | 5.5 pts (12,414 votes) | 225,472 | +7.6 pts | 4.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 116,255 | 50.4% | 2.9 pts (6,739 votes) | 230,821 | -2.6 pts | 4.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 110,483 | 47.7% | 4.7 pts (10,900 votes) | 231,440 | +2.2 pts | 3.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 146,155 | 55.7% | 13.9 pts (36,517 votes) | 262,259 | +9.1 pts | 7.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 143,267 | 55.1% | 12.8 pts (33,272 votes) | 259,805 | -1.1 pts | 8.8 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 | 357,848 | 50.9% of population |
| 2004 | 377,143 | 57.2% of population |
| 2008 | 393,900 | 57.2% of population |
| 2012 | 404,613 | 57.0% of population |
| 2016 | 417,555 | 55.4% of population |
| 2020 | 440,436 | 59.5% of population |
| 2024 | 453,156 | 57.3% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Dakota shifted 14.2 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
Dakota has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Minnesota's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Minnesota Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Dakota voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Dakota has voted Democratic in 5 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 2 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Dakota?
Dakota's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 1.0 points (1,804 votes) out of 182,249 total votes cast.
Has Dakota ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Dakota changed which party won the county in: 2008, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Dakota?
The widest margin on record for Dakota was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 14.3 points.
How many votes were cast in Dakota relative to its population?
In 2024, 259,805 votes were recorded in Dakota against a total population of 453,156 (57.3% 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 Dakota a presidential bellwether county?
Dakota has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Minnesota's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%).