Polk, Minnesota — Presidential Election Results
Polk, Minnesota has voted Republican in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2012. In 2024, it was 38.7 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 | 7,609 | 53.8% | 13.0 pts (1,845 votes) | 14,140 | — | 16.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 8,724 | 55.7% | 12.7 pts (1,995 votes) | 15,668 | +0.9 pts | 16.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 7,850 | 51.2% | 4.6 pts (702 votes) | 15,334 | +17.6 pts | 5.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 7,615 | 51.8% | 5.7 pts (842 votes) | 14,693 | -10.5 pts | 13.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 8,979 | 60.7% | 28.8 pts (4,267 votes) | 14,796 | -25.3 pts | 32.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 9,865 | 63.3% | 28.4 pts (4,426 votes) | 15,594 | +2.2 pts | 36.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 10,162 | 65.9% | 33.7 pts (5,195 votes) | 15,419 | -5.4 pts | 38.7 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 | 31,384 | 45.1% of population |
| 2004 | 31,093 | 50.4% of population |
| 2008 | 31,175 | 49.2% of population |
| 2012 | 31,511 | 46.6% of population |
| 2016 | 31,698 | 46.7% of population |
| 2020 | 31,081 | 50.2% of population |
| 2024 | 30,413 | 50.7% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Polk shifted 20.5 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
Polk has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Minnesota's own statewide winner in 1 of 7 (14%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Minnesota Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Polk voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Polk has voted Democratic in 1 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 6 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Polk?
Polk's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 4.7 points (702 votes) out of 15,334 total votes cast.
Has Polk ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Polk changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2012, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Polk?
The widest margin on record for Polk was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 34.3 points.
How many votes were cast in Polk relative to its population?
In 2024, 15,419 votes were recorded in Polk against a total population of 30,413 (50.7% 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 Polk a presidential bellwether county?
Polk has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Minnesota's own statewide winner in 1 of 7 (14%).