Watonwan, Minnesota — Presidential Election Results
Watonwan, 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 32.7 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 | 2,562 | 49.9% | 5.9 pts (304 votes) | 5,134 | — | 8.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 2,970 | 53.2% | 8.2 pts (456 votes) | 5,583 | -2.0 pts | 11.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 2,562 | 48.7% | 0.7 pts (36 votes) | 5,258 | +9.0 pts | 9.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 2,517 | 48.9% | 0.4 pts (23 votes) | 5,144 | -1.2 pts | 8.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 2,768 | 55.4% | 19.1 pts (954 votes) | 4,998 | -20.4 pts | 22.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 3,103 | 59.7% | 21.5 pts (1,116 votes) | 5,201 | -1.1 pts | 29.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 3,087 | 62.6% | 27.7 pts (1,364 votes) | 4,933 | -6.4 pts | 32.7 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 | 11,826 | 43.4% of population |
| 2004 | 11,504 | 48.5% of population |
| 2008 | 11,120 | 47.3% of population |
| 2012 | 11,115 | 46.3% of population |
| 2016 | 11,002 | 45.4% of population |
| 2020 | 11,238 | 46.3% of population |
| 2024 | 11,204 | 44.0% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Watonwan shifted 22.1 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
Watonwan 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 Watonwan voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Watonwan 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 Watonwan?
Watonwan's closest recorded margin was in 2012, when Mitt Romney (Republican) won by 0.5 points (23 votes) out of 5,144 total votes cast.
Has Watonwan ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Watonwan 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 Watonwan?
The widest margin on record for Watonwan was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 28.4 points.
How many votes were cast in Watonwan relative to its population?
In 2024, 4,933 votes were recorded in Watonwan against a total population of 11,204 (44.0% 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 Watonwan a presidential bellwether county?
Watonwan 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%).