Stearns, Minnesota — Presidential Election Results
Stearns, Minnesota has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 31.6 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 | 32,402 | 51.9% | 12.2 pts (7,602 votes) | 62,476 | — | 15.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 41,726 | 55.2% | 12.0 pts (9,067 votes) | 75,577 | +1.1 pts | 15.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 41,194 | 52.3% | 7.0 pts (5,504 votes) | 78,756 | +5.0 pts | 17.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 43,015 | 54.8% | 12.1 pts (9,464 votes) | 78,477 | -5.2 pts | 20.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 47,617 | 59.8% | 27.7 pts (22,041 votes) | 79,592 | -17.8 pts | 31.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 50,959 | 60.1% | 22.5 pts (19,080 votes) | 84,835 | +7.1 pts | 30.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 53,932 | 62.3% | 26.7 pts (23,103 votes) | 86,632 | -4.2 pts | 31.6 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 | 133,669 | 46.7% of population |
| 2004 | 139,788 | 54.1% of population |
| 2008 | 148,307 | 53.1% of population |
| 2012 | 151,891 | 51.7% of population |
| 2016 | 157,225 | 50.6% of population |
| 2020 | 158,488 | 53.5% of population |
| 2024 | 163,997 | 52.8% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Stearns shifted 14.0 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
Stearns has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Minnesota's own statewide winner in 0 of 7 (0%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Minnesota Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Stearns voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Stearns 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 Stearns?
Stearns's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 7.2 points (5,504 votes) out of 78,756 total votes cast.
Has Stearns ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Stearns has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Stearns?
The widest margin on record for Stearns was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 30.1 points.
How many votes were cast in Stearns relative to its population?
In 2024, 86,632 votes were recorded in Stearns against a total population of 163,997 (52.8% 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 Stearns a presidential bellwether county?
Stearns has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Minnesota's own statewide winner in 0 of 7 (0%).