Wadena, Minnesota — Presidential Election Results
Wadena, Minnesota has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 56.5 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 | 3,733 | 58.5% | 23.2 pts (1,482 votes) | 6,382 | — | 27.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 4,214 | 59.4% | 20.1 pts (1,423 votes) | 7,093 | +4.5 pts | 23.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 4,128 | 57.6% | 17.4 pts (1,246 votes) | 7,169 | +2.5 pts | 28.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 4,143 | 61.0% | 24.3 pts (1,651 votes) | 6,791 | -7.1 pts | 32.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 4,837 | 69.8% | 45.5 pts (3,153 votes) | 6,934 | -23.5 pts | 50.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 5,520 | 71.9% | 45.6 pts (3,497 votes) | 7,677 | +2.0 pts | 53.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 6,028 | 74.9% | 51.3 pts (4,130 votes) | 8,047 | -5.7 pts | 56.5 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 | 13,745 | 46.4% of population |
| 2004 | 13,682 | 51.8% of population |
| 2008 | 13,844 | 51.8% of population |
| 2012 | 13,607 | 49.9% of population |
| 2016 | 13,550 | 51.2% of population |
| 2020 | 14,120 | 54.4% of population |
| 2024 | 14,437 | 55.7% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Wadena shifted 27.3 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
Wadena 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 Wadena voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Wadena 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 Wadena?
Wadena's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 17.8 points (1,246 votes) out of 7,169 total votes cast.
Has Wadena ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Wadena has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Wadena?
The widest margin on record for Wadena was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 52.1 points.
How many votes were cast in Wadena relative to its population?
In 2024, 8,047 votes were recorded in Wadena against a total population of 14,437 (55.7% 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 Wadena a presidential bellwether county?
Wadena 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%).